Birmingham airport unveils draft Master Plan, for huge growth over next 15 years

 

 

The draft Master Plan can be seen here 

https://www.bhxmasterplan.co.uk/#sidewidgetarea     

and

https://www.bhxmasterplan.co.uk/full-master-plan/


Birmingham Airport: More passengers and flights plan

  • 6 November 2018  (BBC)

Birmingham Airport has announced an ambitious £500m expansion plan to grow passengers numbers by 40% over the next 15 years.

In a bid to become one of Europe’s leading regional airports, bosses want to attract 18 million passengers by 2033, up from the current 13 million.

The plan will mean more long and short haul flights, a larger terminal, new aircraft stands but no new runway.

The airport said it was confident airlines would follow demand.

HS2, the £55.7bn planned high-speed rail link, initially running between London and Birmingham by 2026, as well as additional capacity on the West Coast Mainline will help increase passenger numbers, the airport said.

Artist's impression
Image copyrightBIRMINGHAM AIRPORTThe HS2 high-speed rail link will cut travel time from the airport to London to 38 minutes the airport says

 

Artist's impressionImage copyrightBIRMINGHAM AIRPORT

The £500m plan will see more shops and bars and glass mezzanine feature

HS2 will cut rail journeys between the airport and central London from the current 70 minutes to 38.

A new junction on the nearby M42 motorway will also benefit those travelling by car, bosses said.


What will the £500m plans bring:

  • A larger departures lounge with more seating, shops and restaurants and a glass mezzanine. A new baggage sorting area, larger security area and improved arrivals area
  • More aircraft stands, increasing capacity from 58 to 69
  • Connection to the new HS2 Interchange Station
  • Direct long-haul services to Asia and on the north Atlantic routes, as well as to more European cities and the Middle East

Simon Richards, acting managing director, said: “Over the next 15 years, we will expand and significantly improve the airport to maximise our potential as a single runway airport by investing £500m.

“Our plans take account of our forecast growth and will increase operational efficiency for our airlines and partners and improve the experience for our passengers.”


Analysis:

Peter Plisner, BBC Midlands Business and Transport Correspondent

Growth in aviation has continued apace, despite several recessions and passenger rises at Birmingham Airport appear to have followed a similar pattern.

Having said that, current projections are lower than when the last airport masterplan was published. Back in 2007, it was thought there would be 27 million passengers per year by 2030. Now it’s just 18 million.

Clearly the projections have been reworked and the recent collapses of airlines like Monarch and Primera Air, probably haven’t helped.

It was thought the plan might include a bid for a controversial second runway, but in light of a third runway at Heathrow and a lower than expected passenger forecast those plans have been kicked into the long grass.

Environmentalists will be pleased with that news but they’re still opposed to the latest masterplan.

Mr Richards said the growth was achievable despite industry volatility, including the collapse of budget airline Primera Air, which operated out of Birmingham until last month.

“The aviation industry has always been like that,” he said.

“Some airlines do come and go, we are conscious of that.

“But we have a set of airline partners with great stability all the way through the economic downturn since 2008 with actually very stable volumes, that’s most of [our] airlines partners, and that’s the firm foundations on which we’ll build.”

A 12-week public consultation on the expansion is now under way.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-46110346

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How Birmingham Airport will be transformed with £500m investment

Birmingham Airport hopes new lounge and check-in area will help take passenger numbers to 18 million by 2033

Birmingham Airport has unveiled plans for a £500 million investment in the transport hub over the next 15 years which it hopes will increase capacity by five million passengers a year.

A major portion of that spending will see it create a larger departure lounge with a mezzanine floor, new retail and restaurant units, more toilets and seating.

The ground floor check-in area will be revamped to have more self-service desks, the latest bag-drop technology and a new back-of-house baggage sorting area aimed at improving efficiency.

See the video above for artist impressions of how the airport will look.

The security area will be enlarged and a new arrivals section will be created.

There will also be 11 additional aircraft stands and better public transport and road access for passengers, all fuelling the airport’s aim of increasing passenger numbers to 18 million by the year 2033.

Although this is still well short of its estimated 30 million maximum, it would represent an increase of around five million passengers per year based on 2017’s figures when it welcomed 12.9 people through its doors.

It is also planning to secure a greater choice of flights and destinations, both short- and long-haul services, alongside more charter services and journeys with full-service and budget carriers, adding to its existing 150 routes.

Birmingham Airport, the UK’s seventh largest, claimed the self-funded investment would raise its contribution to the local economy from £1.5 billion to £2.1 billion a year and take employment to 34,000 jobs in 2033.

These planned changes would sit alongside improved regional connectivity and a direct link to the HS2 Interchange station, set to be built around 1.2 miles away.

Its new masterplan – entitled ‘The Midlands Gateway to the World’ – is being launched today and kicks off a three-month public consultation.

But the announcement quashes any lingering questions over whether a second runway would be opened there any time soon as the airport said these aims were all achievable on the existing single runway.

It said the masterplan followed recently restated government policy of making the best use of the UK’s existing runways.

Acting managing director Simon Richards said: “Birmingham Airport is already the preferred national and international aviation hub for the Midlands and our ambition is to build on this to become one of Europe’s leading regional airports, acting as a key economic accelerator, delivering great service to passengers and helping to showcase the region.

“Over the next 15 years, we will expand and significantly improve the airport to maximise our potential as a single runway airport by investing £500 million.

“Our plans take account of our forecast growth and will increase operational efficiency for our airlines and partners and improve the experience for our passengers.”

This latest investment follows a £100 million injection into new security facilities and car parking, first announced in September 2016.

A number of public exhibitions will take place throughout the West Midlands from November 12 to January 22, 2019, and the consultation period ends on January 31, 2019. The final version of the master plan will be published early next year.

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See earlier

Birmingham Airport expected to announce plans for 2nd runway and new terminal to the Airports Commission

June 8, 2013

Birmingham Airport is expected to announce shortly that it is considering building a 2nd runway, and submit its plan to the Airports Commission. The airport wants to be considered as a major part of Britain’s aviation plans for the future, and could be a hub for European airports. Back in 2007 the airport’s plans for a second runway, in its Master Plans, were dropped in favour of the runway extension – due to open in 2014. If HS2 is built, Birmingham airport intends to benefit from it. Proposals include another terminal, incorporating HS2, as well as the runway. It is thought that the airport will say, in its submission, that the runway may not be needed for a long time, even decades as it currently caters for some 9 million passengers and could take over 25 million on its one runway. The airport’s plans are reported to be supported by the West Midlands Economic Forum which will release a report expected to say that there is plenty more potential growth for Birmingham Airport as the world economy grows. MP Mark Garnier said the airport needed to capitalise on being at the heart of the motorway and potential high-speed rail networks.

Click here to view full story…

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Transport Secretary admits Heathrow 3rd runway would be bad for Birmingham Airport

Chris Grayling, Transport Secretary, in announcing formal backing by the government for the 3rd Heathrow runway, has admitted that this will be bad for business at Birmingham Airport.  He said Birmingham would face “greater competitive pressure” as a result of Heathrow having a 3rd runway.  The line Grayling is taking, to try and reassure regional airports, is that the 3rd runway will encourage more domestic flights. However, he knows perfectly well that it is up to airlines, not airports or government, to determine which routes they fly – unless given hefty public subsidies to keep unprofitable routes in operation. His assurances to regional airports are all qualified by statements like Heathrow will try, government will support etc. Nothing concrete. But as Birmingham Airport is so close to Heathrow, there  will not be domestic flights to Heathrow, and all that will happen is Heathrow takes passengers away from Birmingham, and long haul destinations will increasingly be served exclusively by Heathrow. The government is well aware of this harm an expanded Heathrow will do to long haul services from other UK airports.

Click here to view full story…

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