London Gatwick Airport has appointed global engineering, construction and project management company Bechtel as part of its £180m (US$241m) investment in its Pier 6.
As part of the hub’s five-year capital investment program, Gatwick will more than double the size of Pier 6 in the North Terminal to boost service levels and create greater operational efficiency.
Construction will begin following the move of the A380 stand from its existing location on Pier 6 to a newly created stand on Pier 5. The widening and realigning of a taxiway to enable A380s to move between the runway and the new stand so as to accommodate the 80m (262ft) wing-span will also need to be completed prior to the build.
Raymond Melee, construction director at Gatwick Airport, said, “This is one of the most important programs of work we have in our current capital investment program, as it will give a crucial boost to our operational efficiency and help us to grow sustainably. It will be complex as it is right in the heart of our airfield, but we are experienced in delivering complicated projects in challenging environments at Gatwick.
“We are grateful for the partnership with Bechtel, whose experience will be invaluable. We look forward to our teams working side-by-side as we deliver a world-class project while not compromising the airport experience for our passenger.”
Gatwick and Bechtel are planning for works to start in 2018.The program will be run in four phases, the last of which will be the building of the western extension of Pier 6 itself. It is due to be operational by the first quarter of 2022.
Bechtel will be responsible for the management of engineering, procurement and construction works behind the Pier 6 extension, and will be integrated alongside Gatwick’s construction and development teams.
Paul Gibbs, UK managing director at Bechtel, commented, “This appointment is a positive reflection of our partnership with Gatwick Airport. We know that construction in the middle of a very busy airfield can be complex, so we will be working alongside Gatwick’s operational teams to ensure the work is sequenced carefully and that the passenger experience is maintained throughout.”