Birmingham Airport has launched its draft masterplan titled The Midlands Gateway to the World.
The plan sets out details on how the airport will make a self-financed new investment of £500m (US$653m) over the life of the plan to improve, modernize and extend facilities that will deliver increased capacity for airline customers and enhance the passenger experience.
The draft masterplan outlines the airport’s role in driving future economic impact to the region, totaling £2.1bn (US$2.7bn) a year and 34,000 jobs by 2033.
The airport will continue to improve air links for people in the region, providing more flights to cultural hubs, business centers and a greater choice of outbound holiday destinations. It will continue to expand the existing wide range of short-haul and long-haul scheduled and charter services and destinations, with full-service and low-cost airlines.
Building on existing commitments to sustainability and community support, the draft masterplan demonstrates how the aim to become one of Europe’s leading regional airports will be balanced by a responsibility to the environment and the people who live and work in the airport’s vicinity.
The plan is focused on addressing the key constraints to more rapid growth. This will involve a major expansion of the terminal facilities, the construction of additional new aircraft stands and working with national agencies and regional partners to deliver improved public and road transport surface access for passengers.
Simon Richards, acting managing director at Birmingham Airport, 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 maximize our potential as a single-runway airport by investing £500m (US$653m). 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.”
Alongside the draft masterplan, the airport will be consulting on a new draft surface access strategy. This will outline how it will meet growth requirements and targets, and continue to work in collaboration with transport bodies and operators.
The launch of this draft masterplan triggers the start of a 12-week public consultation for stakeholders to feed back their views on the airport’s plans. A number of public exhibitions will take place throughout the West Midlands from November 12 to January 22, 2019. The consultation period will end on January 31.