Birmingham International Airport Ltd (BIA) today released an Interim Statement on its long-term development plans up to the year 2030, ahead of the publication of the new Airport Master Plan, which will be released later this year. The details follow an extensive consultation process on the Draft Master Plan in 2005/06 and review of the feedback received.
The Master Plan Review Process has identified a number of revisions to the draft Master Plan, which include:
- Revised traffic forecasts of 27.2 million passengers per annum and 205,000 Air Transport Movements per annum in 2030 (comparative numbers for 2006 were 9.2 million passengers and 108,658 ATM’s);
- A reduction in the overall Airport Operational Area, i.e. the amount of land needed;
- Priority given to an extension to the main runway, which could be open before 2012;
- The updated traffic forecasts now indicate that a second runway should not be needed before 2030 and the Airport is being planned on that basis;
- With the updated traffic forecasts now indicating that a second runway should not be needed before 2030, compensation schemes would not be triggered;
- A third passenger terminal on the existing Airport site, with Phase 1 proposed for 2018;
- Development of commercial and operational facilities at the Elmdon Terminal site, to include a dedicated Engine Ground Running Facility;
- Long-term improvements to M42 Junction 6, and no dedicated Junction on the M42 for the Airport, resulting in less land-take;
- New Public Transport Modal Share targets, (including a target of 35% of people reaching the airport via public transport in 2030);
- Continuing programmes of environmental mitigation.
Commenting on the release of the Interim Statement, Joe Kelly, BIA’s Acting Managing Director, said: “The purpose of the Interim Statement is to provide clarity and advance notice of the key changes to the original draft Master Plan.”
In October 2005 the Airport Company published a draft Master Plan and carried out an extensive consultation exercise that included a series of briefings, exhibitions and public meetings, and provided all stakeholders and interested parties with an opportunity to consider and comment on the proposals for Birmingham International Airport’s future. Within that draft Plan, it was proposed to publish the new Master Plan in late 2006; however, owing to a number of issues, this has not been possible.
Joe Kelly explained: “We had to wait for a decision to be made on the Appeal and Public Inquiry on Coventry Airport and the publication of the Department for Transport’s Progress Report on the White Paper to be released, in order for us to integrate these key matters into our new Master Plan. A further complication has been the change in the composition of the Airport Company’s shareholders. With Aer Rianta and Macquarie both selling their shareholdings, the new Master Plan has required the consent of the incoming shareholders, together with the consent of the local authority shareholders.”
To support the strategic processes associated with the Master Plan Review, a new Airport Surface Access Strategy will also be published soon. BIA is uniquely located adjacent to a main line railway at Birmingham International Station and the Interchange, providing frequent and direct rail services to many major cities and towns. The Airport Company, as part of its sustainable development programme, will continue to seek improvements to its surface access, by all modes, as it recognises the advantages that improvements in access by bus, coach and rail provide for passengers, employees and the local community.
The Airport is also currently finalising a Planning Application for the extension of its main runway following Board approval in January this year. BIA intends to submit the Planning Application before the end of 2007, bringing the possibility of completing the work by 2012, in time for the Olympic Games.
The 400-metre extension to the southern end of the existing runway would dramatically increase the capability and range of services from the Airport, by providing the opportunity for direct flights to the West Coast USA, the Far East and other long-haul destinations.
Joe Kelly concluded: “Although the detail of the Airport’s new Master Plan will be kept under review, the increasing importance of Birmingham International Airport to the region is evident. It enables businesses to access markets and people to access holidays and visit friends and relatives - in Europe and the rest of the World.
The Airport is important to the region’s economy and it is one of the largest providers of employment in the West Midlands region, supporting some 10,500 full-time equivalent jobs in 2006. This is forecast to grow to over 19,000 by 2030.
“We also acknowledge that our development must be carried out in an environmentally sustainable way, mitigating impacts on the environment and people, as well as considering climate change. The Airport Company has always had a strong and successful programme of environmental mitigation and community engagement, and this will be maintained and developed for the future with the development of Birmingham International Airport.”
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