Future Infrastructure Developments

[Jordan-34092]

Well it does look nice, im guessing there only going to be just one check in hall with that being A?

 

[airforced]

Here it is, folks. The increase of 65% in airside space is the stand-out item, for me. That's no small potatoes.

Looks quite swish and if the increase in floor space ends up equating to more passenger, rather than retail, space then I'll give three, or even more, cheers.

Do we have any published time scales? One other question for LS16 or someone else who was there for the grand announcement is how are they conveying the plans to passengers passing through the airport? Are there displays on show with explanations of what is happening when etc?

Any more detailed info would be most welcome as, to be honest, what is shown on the link provided by radar (no criticism of you radar) doesn't give anything more than a flavour of what is to come.

 

[radar]

Any more detailed info would be most welcome as, to be honest, what is shown on the link provided by radar (no criticism of you radar) doesn't give anything more than a flavour of what is to come.

Tough crowd!

The only timescale given so far has been a comment on the airport's Facebook page that it will all be completed in time for the summer peak next year.

 

[pug]

Excuse my ignorance on the subject if I'm a bit behind.. Is the proposed extension at the entrance of the building still poised to go ahead? Is it part of this phase of extension or will it be built at a later date? By this I mean the renders that were released a couple of years ago, where the former drop-off road would be built on to turn the terminal into a semi-circular shape.

I flew out of LBA for the first time last year, and I'm sure any works to increase floorspace would be greatly appreciated by passengers in the future.

 

[Galaxy]

Looks good, would have liked to have seen a Greggs on one of those graphics though! ; )

 

[White Heather]

With regard to time-scales for the works, the information I have had (and previously posted) is that the works are mainly due for completion by Easter, when there will be a short intermission to allow for the Easter rush, before remaining works are then completed in time for the Summer season, so fully completed by around late April early May I would think. However, those times were based on works only being done in and around the terminal as the covered walkway was, at that time, for a future phase. Now that they appear to have brought it forward, it is possible that work may continue until a later date.

Its good to finally have the announcement - there have been many who doubted this would happen and would only believe it when the announcement was made - well now it has, so we can all sit back and watch what they do with our airport over the winter. It will be interesting to see how they phase the work too in order to avoid too much passenger disruption. If any further information comes to light at Thursday's Consultative committee meeting, I will post it on here later this week.

 

[airforced]

If any further information comes to light at Thursday's Consultative committee meeting, I will post it on here later this week.

Thanks White Heather. I for one will look forward to your feedback. I imagine your Committee will have the opportunity to delve a little deeper into the detail than would have been possible at this mornings Press briefing. Do you know if they have (or intend to) publicise what is being done within the airport, ie a time line as to what is happening to what and when etc, so getting their PR message over to as many people as possible? If they are I'll make the effort and get there a bit earlier a week on Saturday for my flight to Tenerife

 

[User0001]

This is exactly as i expected - messing around with an already cramped terminal just like the council used to do. The nicest area in the airport at present is the open plan checkin hall area with a good overhead open space which will now no doubt be lost. Squeezing in some extra shops to try and make a bit of money back. Oh yes we get a bus shelter with no doors which will be the worst looking little skimping add on the airport has ever had.

Bridgepoint promised a lot all those years ago - £70 million over 10 years / £28 million NEW terminal. So far for whatever reason [mostly being skint] have delivered very little - not even any apron space. Those waiting for Phase 2 (LOL) don't hold your breath. Even the councils would have done more in all this time.

By the way I am Mr Positive but I am also Mr Realist and I am afraid some people on here are away with the fairies when it comes to what it is really going on at LBIA. No offense intended.

 

[User0001]

Oh yes forget to add.

WAWKRK you were right mate. Wrong company got in. A lot of good intentions turned to dust when the recession hit. :hatsoff:

 

[tleeds]

No offence LUFC PETE, but obviously people are not away with the fairies as the work has been OFFICIALLY announced.
Bridgepoint are now spending £11m on the new complete refurbishment of the airport. This is, by far, 10x more what the council ever achieved in the time they were in charge of the airport. I don't recall the council ever spending as much money in the space of time. Don't forget the recent recession, which is putting everything back on the scale the council ever did.
In addition, the council had, (not literally) unlimited sums of money. The airport is currently private and so makes things a lot harder to accomplish anything.

Lets not forget what Bridgepoint have actually achieved. They did help in partly funding the 'newer' part of the apron, stands 19-24 and the over-haul of the car-parking around this part of the apron. They have constructed the new drop-off area of the airport. Although given its problems, skeptics could say it has caused some problems, but it a lot better than anything the council did to the parking arrangements.

The fact that the airport are now spending £5m more than originally planned, obviously has something to do with the new boarding facility, so would hardly describe it as 'a bus shelter with no doors'. You won't be complaining when it gets you out of the rain. It serves a purpose and is better than nothing.

Hardly 'messing around with an already cramped terminal'... The whole point of the new floor above Hall A is to create more space. If you look at the artists impression of Hall A, it looks bright and pleasant. Again, the airport have to create more retail space as it is now a privately owned airport and is what passengers want, and doing all this as well as creating 65% more space in the terminal... I think that's pretty good going....!!

 

[User0001]

I'm a bit mixed about this.

The roof is far too low in the check in hall for starters.

I would have thought a large, fresh check in area (similar to the new BA check in area at LGW) would have been a better choice.
The artist impression leaves me feeling this space will be very claustrophobic and cramped space, especially when the area is full.

Then, airside shop wise, it seems the passages are too narrow and they have tried to cram as much in the space as possible. Yes, floor space=financial potential but cram too much in and it gives a negative impression.

I do however thing the new boarding area looks nice, and the covered walkway will only be a good thing.

Overall, id say it has a rating of about 4/10. Im giving it 4 as they have missed a lot of potential like extentions and the check in area as mentioned.

 

[airforced]

...................Hardly 'messing around with an already cramped terminal'... The whole point of the new floor above Hall A is to create more space. If you look at the artists impression of Hall A, it looks bright and pleasant. Again, the airport have to create more retail space as it is now a privately owned airport and is what passengers want, and doing all this as well as creating 65% more space in the terminal... I think that's pretty good going....!!

I agree with most of what you say tom but (and maybe I'm nit picking or misreading your comments somewhat) I have to take issue with you when you say that "passengers want more retail" as if that is the first item in their hierarchy of needs. I think you will find that their first priority is a comfortable and spacious environment where there is somewhere for them to sit down whilst deciding which retail outlet they will grace their hard earned money to.

Don't get me wrong. I know retail is vital to all airport operators but they need to be very aware that people are better spenders the more relaxed they are. Cramp them up without giving them anywhere to sit won't increase the spend.

So back to my gripe of several posts ago about the current setup being cramped and the need to seriously do something about that when the next phase of re-development takes place. Fingers crossed, eh! Lets hope that the 65% more space in the terminal you mention is for passenger use and they can afford seats to go in that space.

 

[User0001]

my

:hatsoff:

should be for lbia. he called it right x months ago. dont think it was WAWKRK after all.

i am not really interested in arguing tonight over it as it is clearly obvious if you read back through the posts of this forum what has happened over the last 3 years.

hey companies dont have much spending money - i realise that but we need an enlarged terminal and were promised and upto now we have been let down. End of.

 

[User0001]

I was at the press conference and spent some time with the management team, so will add in a few bits.

The timescale is

- May 2012 for the bulk of the new airside area
- June for the walkway
- July for security area

Target is to be complete by the start of the summer peak. Construction will be 24/7 with pretty much Christmas Day being the only day without work from now on. Apparantly a huge amount of planning has been required to come up with a construction schedule to deliver all of this whilst keeping the airport up and running.

Premier lounge will be slightly smaller and become a dedicated business lounge and a new family / leisure lounge will be added

All of existing ground floor departure areas - duty free / white rose cafe / WH smith, will be ripped out. Only the Danby Bar will stay and the rest of the space will be given over to gate space and enlarged security screening

Walkway will go initially to Stand 14 and will have 3 channels. Either 2 for departures and 1 for arrivals or the other way round depending on time of day.

Additional floor space being provided is 2500 sq meters. 500 sq meters is new build from the infill over hall A and the rest is being created from making much better use of existing space - basically pulling down all of the walls and offices that have been created over the last 20 years or so

In hall A, all of the existing pillars and advertising will be ripped out and all of the lighting replaced, to make the whole area feel bigger, brighter and less cramped than today.

Security zone will grow by 250 sq meters (40% bigger than today) and will increase from 4 to 6 channels

In tems of general orientation....this image is the space where the White Rose Cafe is at the Eastern end of the terminal

This is the existing first floor departure area, the area you get to at the moment when you go up the escalator after coming through duty free

This is where you would be stood at the moment if you came up the landside escalator - means Burger King is staying the the same place pretty much

 

[wawkrk]

I can see problems with the extended walkway, much like a long bus shelter. Yes better than nothing when no shopping buses are available but, I thought it was going to be wide enough to hold pax waiting to board.The trouble with sticking plaster solutions, they often last for years.

 

[Jordan-34092]

For all of those who are wondering about the extension of the airport at the front, well that part of the build will not go ahead until the airport reaches 4 million passengers per annum.

 

[Nightflight]

I agree, all the work that Bridgepoint promised should now all be done at the same time, including the new frontage...LBA has always had that we will do a bit now and do a bit later attitude...
Pity they can't level the place and start again!!!

 

[whoshotjimmi]

Happen I agree with you Nightflight. In an ideal world I would go for something a bit like Robin Hood has (albeit slightly larger) parallel to the apron alongside stands 8,9,10,11 etc. Two storey, spacious, easy to navigate. I just wonder whether, had one of the airport companies (Peel, MAG, BAA etc) taken over, this would have been done instead.

I would like to see an overview of the whole development. It would be nice to see a proper floor plan rather than just a few carefully selected pictures. Also, am I the only one who thinks the colour of the wall in the old cafe area is hideous?

Still, the basic premise of what has been announced is good. However, I have to agree with certain other members of the forum. The build is to deal with what passengers there currently are instead of properly planning for the future and I can't help but feel just a little bit let down by that. Especially considering what Bridgepoint promised in order to secure the airport....

One other bone of contention. If, as Concorde Lover says, phase 2 would not begin until the airport reaches 4 million pax, it was never going to be built was it? And this angers me. If there are stipulations and conditions behind building works, these should be announced instead of making apparently empty promises. Had they been completely open and honest from the very beginning, we would not now be talking about missed opportunites and failure to deliver. We would be talking about a positive step forward for the airport (which it is) which will help take it to the next level (which it will). And that is the biggest shame of all of this. The poor management of the project and associated public relations have turned something massively positive into something incredibly negative. When coupled to various other vastly unpopular on site projects (drop off fee anyone?) you can start to understand and appreciate why people are totally underwhelmed.

I don't want to finish on a low. So I will say this. It is excellent news that work is finally underway. Hopefully, all deadlines will be met and the airport will move forward. And if you could get some more cheerful border control whilst you're at it, that would be beautiful thank you very much....

 

[White Heather]

A concern I have about the lowering of the ceiling height in check in hall A is the air circulation factor. We hope that the best systems will be put in place to cope with a hot spell and peak summer time passengers waiting to check in. If not we will wait and see about the complaints of how stuffy the place gets if the airport don't get it right. Lowering the height of that area is going to mean the warm air will get trapped more than when it was double height.
So what will happen when the magic number of 4 million is reached with the areas created from the works about to start on phase 1? When the frontage is extended would there then be a rethink about what goes in the areas designed back in 2008.
It's a lot of money to spend now only for it to be knocked around again and re gigged.

Building regulations will have to be complied with so the work done has to include a system that will ensure air changes within the check in areas are fully compliant for this type of building. It is issues like this that will have caused much of the delay in starting this work, plus the phasing issues mentioned by LS16 and previously by myself on several occasions.

The intention is, that when 4m pax per year is reached (which actually shouldn't take long if growth continues at present rates) the terminal extension will take place and that will become the new, bright, check in area on the ground floor. What we will have after Phase 1 is temporary, not permanent. If it were permanent, there would be no point in building the terminal extension to the front! So although the roof may seem low, they are going to light it in a way that prevents it feeling claustrophobic and then after Phase 2 we will have a big bright and much better check in area, which may possibly include desks relocated from Check in Hall 2 which was only ever intended as a stop gap measure.

I too am disappointed that the entire terminal project cannot be done in one go, but we need to get real and appreciate the money being spent against a backdrop of the worst fall in passenger figures within the industry generally in years. If LBA hadn't bucked the trend (and congratulations to Bridgepoint for ensuring it did just that) we would be waiting longer for the development. Bridgepoint, to be fair promised £28m over 10 years. They have already spent up to £5m on car parks and the terminal frontage (drop off area) and new stands, with another £11m now on Phase 1, with more to follow. They are not even half way through their 10 year programme, so I have to say (at risk no doubt of being accused of being away with the fairies) that LUFC Pete is being somewhat unreasonable and perhaps 'away with the fairies' himself if he thinks that ANY company is going to hurl up to £28m at the airport all in one go in the current economic climate. They never said they would do that - over 10 years means over 10 year, not over 4 years which is where we are now.

I can't help thinking that there is a lot of negativity here when this is the best news for the airport in many years, with more to come.

So I am happy to swim against the tide on this thread and say that although it would have been nice to have a nice shiny new terminal extension right away, that has not been scrapped and is officially Phase 2. To those who say it will never happen - are you the same people who said THIS phase would never happen either??

 

[lbia]

whoshotjimmy, I could not agree more.

Most people who work at the airport feel that the wrong people bought it, it's amazing the promises Bridgepoint made...
2007 - £70 million development
2009 - £28 million development
and now
2011 - £11 million development

I have been saying this for the last few years, once this patch up work is done on the terminal and passengers numbers are growing LBA will be back up for sale with a massive price tag.

I do agree that it is GREAT that LBA is seeing terminal development, but the people who bought it are NOT airport operators, Capital investment companies are not looking for a life long ownership of an airport - they are there for 5-10 years to make money. If someone like MAG/BAA had bought LBA, it would have been for the long term and would develop the terminal accordingly. We are going to be in the same position in the not too distant future, when the airport is handling over 3mppa, it will again be crowded and up for sale. Once it is sold again, another five years down the line before further terminal work is done.