Infrastructure, Construction & Developments

[TheLocalYokel]

I think we have to get over the Filton option now , i actually flew in to Filton the week before it was closed it felt vey sad at the time .
I agree it was by far the best option but its gone and not coming back now. All we have is a small site at Lulsgate which still has some room for development. The few houses that are around the aiport which are on land that could be useful to the airport should be considered as although they would be silly money in house price terms would represent nothing in the scheme of things for the airport .

To all intents and purposes Filton was out of the game from the mid 1990s when, following a public enquiry, the secretary of state refused to allow an application from BAE to turn it into a city airport. You are right of course - Lulsgate is the only game in town now, but it does make you wonder what sort of airport Bristol would have now if the Corporation had turned to Filton in the 1950s instead of Lulsgate when they closed Whitchurch.

As for Lulsgate, although its flight path affects a relatively low number of individuals in villages they contain a good number of well-off, well-connected people - especially in the Chew Valley - who believe that they should be allowed to live in what they consider peace without a noisy airport intruding. They forget or choose to ignore the fact that the airport was there before most of them; furthermore, many of them have 'helped' turn what were once small and quiet villages into much larger ones.

Having been brought up and lived in villages near the airport from the mid 40s to early 60s, and still being acquainted with many 'old' village families I can say confidently that the 'antis' are almost exclusively drawn from people who have moved in during the past 40 years or so.

I was walking Felton Common again today - I came across the marvellous spectacle of two elderly ladies plane spotting and they seemed very keen, replete as they were with cameras - and was reminded that if ever the airport did consider extending the runway right across the common there would have to be a lot of earth movement to build up the level; either that or the runway would drop down a slope to the east making it more of a switchback than it is now.

 

[kraktoa]

A total of 5 new aircraft stands to be built. One stand by the current fire station location and 4 aircraft stands in the current car park opposite the old terminal old terminal will be gone by summer 2018. Total aircraft stands will be 37 by end of 2018- early 2019.

 

[forest1979]

I wonder if this is due to a new airline wanting to set up base?

 

[Jerry]

I wonder if this is due to a new airline wanting to set up base?

Well if one wanted to then it looks like there will be the space for summer 2019.

 

[Red Flyer]

I think you're all barking up the wrong tree

 

[Marko1]

I think you're all barking up the wrong tree

Which tree should we bark up ?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

There doesn't seem much doubt that one new north-facing stand near the fire station will be built in time for next summer.

The BRS expansion plans also feature a number of new stands on the eastern side of the apron where the old terminal currently stands. The plans show an eastern walkway access to them, much like the current western walkway.

The timescale hasn't been announced publicly so far as I'm aware.

 

[andrewgreen]

A total of 5 new aircraft stands to be built. One stand by the current fire station location and 4 aircraft stands in the current car park opposite the old terminal old terminal will be gone by summer 2018. Total aircraft stands will be 37 by end of 2018- early 2019.

Well if current rumours are to be believed that fits 1 for esyJet and 4 for Jet2 for summer 2019 ,
Thats unless we are barking up the wrong tree !

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Multi-storey car park

It looks as though preparatory work has begun on the new car park. An area between the car rental building and the hotel has been fenced off and several mechanical diggers were hard at it today.

Speaking of the car rental facilities, I note that the additional one in the 'old' part of the airport near the admin building now deals with three rental companies whilst the 'main' one mentioned above deals with another five.

 

[Jono577]

Three Items have been approved by north somerset council although they did not require planning as such. 1. New fire station next to the existing fire training ground 2. Two new coaching gates to be under the existing walkway. 3. New (one) aircraft stand to be built where the temporary terminal control point and goods yard is located, plus a new 3m high fence.

 

[kraktoa]

The runway resurfacing must be due soon. Last i recall was around 2005.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The runway resurfacing must be due soon. Last i recall was around 2005.

It was in the winter of 2006-2007, that notorious period when the airport eventually closed down for a day in early January 2007 to enable the poorly draining partly resurfaced runway to be dealt with.

Some aircraft had severe difficulties when landing leading to the eventual closure. It was national news at the time and when the airport re-opened Sky News had a live camera there to show the first landing aircraft - it happened to be the Continental B757 from Newark and landed accompanied by a mass of spray from the runway surface. The wet and windy weather of that part of the winter had not relented.

I don't know long it will be until the runway needs to be resurfaced again. Exeter's is being resurfaced this winter and the press report about that speaks of a 20-year timespan before it will need doing again.

 

[andrewgreen]

Perhaps by that time it will be a longer job !

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Perhaps by that time it will be a longer job !

You might well be right.

 

[kraktoa]

Didnt the skidding of a plane start the problem?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Didnt the skidding of a plane start the problem?

More than one and one aircraft finished on the grass whilst taxiing. This is a contemporary newspaper report.

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2007/jan/08/bristol.airport.open

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Multi-storey car park

It looks as though preparatory work has begun on the new car park. An area between the car rental building and the hotel has been fenced off and several mechanical diggers were hard at it today.

Speaking of the car rental facilities, I note that the additional one in the 'old' part of the airport near the admin building now deals with three rental companies whilst the 'main' one mentioned above deals with another five.

The airport has issued a press release today about the commencement of the multi-storey car park construction.

https://www.bristolairport.co.uk/ab.../2017/11/work-begins-on-multi-storey-car-park

Work Begins on Bristol Airport's First Multi-Storey Car Park
Created: 13th Nov 2017

New facility to be open for summer 2018

A £9.5 million car park development commenced at Bristol Airport this week (8 November). Construction of a multi-storey car park – the first on the Airport site – is now underway and will create more than 1,000 spaces situated within a short walking distance of the terminal.

Goldbeck Construction has been appointed to build the multi-storey car park which will be of a steel modular construction and will feature enhanced car parking bay technology, helping drivers to easily locate unoccupied spaces. The development also includes improved internal road design, landscaping and signage all geared to assist passengers when parking cars on site.

Construction of the multi-storey car park follows recent improvements elsewhere across the site this year, including a £2.5 million customer reception centre in the Silver Zone car park and a £2.3 million upgrade to the immigration hall in the terminal.

Andrew Goodenough, Development Director at Bristol Airport, said:
“These developments demonstrate our continued commitment to enhance passenger facilities at Bristol Airport. The multi-storey car park will meet the demand for high quality, secure car parking close to the terminal.”

The route network available from Bristol Airport is also growing, with direct flights to over 120 destinations and frequent daily services to major hubs including Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin and Frankfurt.

Having invested more than £160 million in new infrastructure and facilities since 2010, Bristol Airport is well positioned to serve passengers across the South West of the UK, and also provides a gateway to the region for international visitors.

Throughout 2017, Bristol Airport will be celebrating 60 years at its current site. As well as looking back on a rich aviation history, work will begin on an updated Master Plan which will consider how best to meet growing demand for air travel to and from the South West and South Wales over the next two decades. The views of passengers, employees, neighbours and others stakeholders will be vital in helping to shape the Airport’s vision for the future.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I have created a new thread with the title Airport Master Plan for next 30 Years - Consultation for discussions regarding the subject. http://www.forums4airports.com/threads/4403/

I have moved existing posts on the new master plan consultation to the new thread.

Discussion on existing and future developments already in the pipeline can continue to be discussed in this thread of course. The new thread is aimed at providing a platform for discussion and opinion on the proposals in the new master plan consultation documents.

If after a trial period the consensus is that having two possibly slightly overlapping threads isn't the best way forward I'll move the posts in the new master plan thread back to this one.

 

[Severn]

As posted on "the other forum", Bristol is currently approved for Code E aircraft operations. The approval is limited to B787-8, B787-9, and A330-300 meaning for the time being this is what BRS will be able to handle.

 

[forest1979]

well TCX are ok then with only the 200 series should they wish to consider BRS (unlikley given their MAN focus). It also rings into play Etihad with their current fleet. I believe their expanded airport will be open soon so maybe they might think about rout expansion also.