London City Airport is celebrating its 30th anniversary today (October 26), and to mark the occasion architecture firm Pascall + Watson has released seven new illustrations of what the airport will look like after the planned £400m (US$530m) City Airport Development Programme (CADP), which is due for completion in 2021.
The privately-funded investment includes plans for a terminal extension, seven new aircraft stands and a parallel taxiway to maximize runway capacity. The improvements will increase the airport’s annual passenger capacity by two million by 2025 and add 30,000 additional flights per year, creating more than 2,000 jobs and generating an additional £750m (US$990m) per year for the UK economy. The airport is also constructing the UK’s first digital air traffic control tower, operational in 2019.
Declan Collier, CEO of London City Airport, said, “Over the past 30 years, London City Airport has become an intrinsic part of London’s transport system; growing responsibly to a record-breaking 4.6 million annual passengers in 2016, creating local employment, and connecting business and leisure travelers with the UK, Europe and beyond.
“As we celebrate this anniversary, we look to a bright future ahead and the world-class transformation which is soon to commence. The CADP presents the opportunity to create an airport of the future, which will help meet demand in the London market, and increase connectivity.”
The seven artist’s impressions include several exterior views of an expanded airport, including the passenger terminal which will increase in size by around 40,000m² (430,000ft²). Enabling works are under way, with construction beginning early in 2018.