Birmingham: Draft Master Plan

[Ray Finkle]

https://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/masterplan/

Only had a quick read but it seems to make sense and looks achievable. Satellite pier on the 70s/80s stands, new pier extended south off T2 where the car parks are now along with new stands, taxiway and runway works and extensions to the current buildings. Moving the fuel farm is an interesting move as the previous master plan said how expensive it would be. Works to start soon if the first phase is to be ready for 2031.

Some highlights.

Terminal areas 60% larger.

Stand capacity increasing to 75.

Current share of the Midlands air travel market is 35%, this is expected to increase to 45% by clawing back pax currently using airports in the South east.

Much of the increases are to be within Europe but long haul travel expected to treble in the next 15 years with increased services to the Middle East and South Asia along with reinstated transatlantic services and new routes to the far East.

ATMs to increase from just under 100k to 180k.

Peak departing pax to increase from 3000 p/h to 5500 p/h, arriving pax from 2500 to 3900.

Cargo to increase from 62000 tonnes to 92000 tonnes

 

[juliet-fox-9]

Other interesting points:

- Options being explored to convert the Elmdon building into a hotel

- New car parking on the elmdon side to enable eventual expansion of the terminal into existing car parks

- most exciting of all, the fuel farm is to be moved to the Elmdon side for the same reason!

Phase 1 consists of the developments that the airport hopes to complete by 2031.

These include stand 16 and 40 reconfiguration, baggage hall expansion and departure lounge extension.

I don't think this means the mothballed extension from pre-Covid times (at the north east end of the International Pier) will be brought back just yet. The artists impressions and the numbered blobs on the diagrams appear to only show the expansion taking place within the link building between the two piers.

 

[123]

There was a planning application for highway works on A45 to allow for car rental parking.

New A45 access road approved for Birmingham Airport

Solihull Council approves new access road for Birmingham Airport's car rental facility, aligning with 2018 Master Plan; includes junction, pedestrian crossing.

solihull.nub.news

 

[HPsauce]

Disappointed to see local TV news doing a rather negative report on the proposed expansion of BHX. Complaints about " increased noise" as an airliner passes near ( in Sheldon). Having lived through the Trident, BAC 1-11, Comet era, i find modern day aircraft incredibly quiet in comparison!.

 

[Birmingham Aviation]

There is a consultation happening today regards the Masterplan at the Crown hotel in Solihull.

Any idea who from the airport is taking over this?

 

[rollo]

The consultation is at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Homer Rd. Solihull 10 am -2.000m.
Open to the public for anyone wanting to drop in for one to one discussion if you wish or just browse the plans,

Senior airport planning engineers and representatives of consultant companies are also involved I believe from RBH and York Aviation and should be in attendance but not the likes of either Mr.Barton or Taylor.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Disappointed to see local TV news doing a rather negative report on the proposed expansion of BHX. Complaints about " increased noise" as an airliner passes near ( in Sheldon). Having lived through the Trident, BAC 1-11, Comet era, i find modern day aircraft incredibly quiet in comparison!.

Really not surprised about that.

Mixedish bag from the local BBC page HERE, some positive and as always plenty of negative. Especially Nikki from Aldridge who says that "aircraft noise is constant" and "You can have one after another, all throughout the night", strange when there are night restrictions.

She goes on to say "Using the airport myself, we know there are issues with delays, getting through security, cancellations and baggage, maybe they need to sort them first without proceeding." It doesn't seem to have occurred to her that many of the current issues experienced are because the place is too small and expansion will hopefully massively improve this.

I really don't think there's anything too groundbreaking in this proposal, most of it is common sense. A satellite pier was suggested back in the 90's (?) and extensions to the current facility have been proposed over the years. Extending south into the car parks is the obvious choice to grow but I can't see it being a cheap one.