Leeds Bradford: Infrastructure & Construction Updates

[White Heather]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

Bridgepoint had no intention to stall - quite the opposite. They view it as vital to get the terminal expansion completed as soon as possible so they are prepared for the recovery should come as the economy picks up. Since they already need the terminal to cope with current passenger loads (even before the Ryanair announcement), there is unlikely to be any delay, assuming all goes to plan with the tendering process etc.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

[textarea]Leeds Bradford International airport has made a double announcement of a £28 million development plus a new deal to be a base for airline Ryanair.

The airport will almost double in size after being given planning permission for an extra terminal and a two-storey extension for a new airside departure lounge.

Ryanair will be one of the main airlines using the facilities after company boss Michael O’Leary announced the new deal, which will create 1,000 jobs in Yorkshire.

A Ryanair spokesman described how the new development at the airport is necessary and he thinks it will be a great benefit to both the airport and the low-cost airline.

He said: “I think unlike Terminal 5 and these ridiculously expensive facilities that they love building at the London airport this is a sensible facility.

“We are very confident it will be a relatively seamless launch of the new terminal and our new flights.”

Source[/textarea]

So clearly the terminal development was at the heart of the decision made by Ryanair to open a new base at the airport.

Years ago prior to the start-up of Jet2, I predicted on the Dried Plum forum that Leeds would be a gold mine for a low cost airline base and along came Jet2. I have accurately predicted that Doncaster would not be the runaway success that Peel claimed it would be. I have accurately predicted that the claw back of passengers lost to Manchester airport would continue and this is still happening. I will predict that this will continue. Whilst I'm no Mystic Meg, and I can't predict how successful Jet2 will be alongside Ryanair, I will say that I am convinced that there are enough passengers in this region for the two airlines to coexist successfully.

The commencement of Ryanair services will inevitably bring forward the requirement of CAT II on runway 14, the parallel taxiway and the proposed new fuel farm. To the best of my knowledge, the plans for a CAT II system on runway 14 have been approved by the CAA and are awaiting installation. Hopefully this will get the green light as soon as possible. Roll on 4.5m passengers and lets see what phase 2 of the development work will bring.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

Unconfirmed, but I heard today that the landside Food Village is to close at the end of October. If this is correct, it would appear that the first part of the development work maybe starting there.

 

[backtrack]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

They have too high prices anyway, however the staff breakfast isnt bad there!

 

[T67A]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

In the Airliner world magazine August edition (page 12) a full page on leeds and Bradford aiport terminal and some more pictures of the inside, and what it will look like when completed. Looks impressive. Does any body know when the terminal expansion is going to happen? The magazine said it should be complete for Spring 2011.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

In the Airliner world magazine August edition (page 12) a full page on leeds and Bradford aiport terminal and some more pictures of the inside, and what it will look like when completed. Looks impressive. Does any body know when the terminal expansion is going to happen? The magazine said it should be complete for Spring 2011.

Ah I'll have to grab a copy of that, thanks for pointing that out. I don't normally buy the magazine because it's normally out of date by the time you've got as far as the till with it!

As for when the work will start, all I have been told is that it will be around the start of the winter season. I understand the tenders for the contract still haven't been finalised so doubt it will start until around Christmas at the earliest. Don't hold me to that, I've been wrong before but I expect that 'White Heather' will be able to update us on the development progress after the next airport Consultative Committee meeting.

 

[White Heather]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

I would think so, yes.

If the tenders are not yet ready to send out, you can usually allow at least 8 weeks for the various contractors to assess the project and submit their tenders. Then there is the tender evaluation process and possibly contractor interviews to sort out the lowest/best tenders into the final order. Once the contractor is decided they then have to mobilise their staff and place orders for materials/kit etc, and that availability as much as anything will determine when they actually start. So they will be pushing it to start before Christmas and the industry tendency is to wait until after the Christmas break rather than start on site, break up again, and then come back. They may just get around to siting their cabins and doing preparatory work before the break if they really get cracking.

 

[User0001]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

Invitation to tender went out last November.

http://www.tendersdirect.com/Ourservice ... 0002279663

 

[White Heather]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

Provided there are no signficant changes then, that should enable works to commence much earlier as presumably the tenders are in already and it may even be the case that the main contractor is already decided.

 

[backtrack]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

A very big job available to tenders, and in times of economic decline, i would of thought a lot of tenders looking for secure long term work would of bidded for this. Because of this reason, do you think the airport will get a good low price as work is so sparce right now?

 

[scousefowler]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

I think you mean contractors.

I would doubt that they will get it any cheaper- the building climate at the moment seems to have bottomed out and -dare i say it- seems to be turning the corner.

The same job 5 years ago would have been cheaper, and if they delayed it 5 years, the same job would be more expensive.

Whatever the cost it is quite a tricky construction project. You have aircraft movements and joe public all in close proximity. Can see health and safety having a field day.

 

[White Heather]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

If they get any really cheap tenders, they should be very suspicious that the contractors have either not appreciated the complexities so have not included all the costs, or that they are simply trying to get the contract by submitting a silly price and then when they get it, they will be completely contractual and demand premium rates for absolutely everything resulting in disputes, possible delays and quite probably some rather poor work which never gets sorted at the end.

Whilst the building market may be bottoming out or recovering, a project such as this will have some pretty big local contractors doing anything they can to get the contract. I would expect that Bridgepoint will have their QS's delving very carefully into all the tenders and interviewing the candidates before making any decisions - although it is possible that they have already been through that process if the plans remain unchanged from when the tenders were issued.

 

[scousefowler]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

It would make sense to appoint a contractor with experience in this kind of project. Cheapest is not always best.

Lets hope we don`t have a terminal 5 fiasco!

 

[Aviador]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

It would make sense to appoint a contractor with experience in this kind of project. Cheapest is not always best.

Lets hope we don`t have a terminal 5 fiasco!

The first phase of the work doesn't involve any critical parts of the airport operation so it is unlikely that we'll see a 'terminal 5' style fiasco.

 

[scousefowler]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

pardon?

 

[Aviador]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

pardon?

No new installations of baggage belts, air bridges or anything that can effect the whole running of the airport.

 

[scousefowler]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

no not at All

 

[White Heather]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

The official line of the airport is that a runway extension is not required whether land fill or on stilts. The cost will always exceed the financial benefit apparently and lets face it, even with the Government White Paper backing that extension, can you imagine the fuss over the planning application? We have had an almighty row about something as obvious as the terminal, so heaven knows what would happen and how much it would cost to get a planning application through for a runway extension. Both ends are problematc.

At the Horsforth end, the land drops away into the old resevoir, which is far too deep for a runway on stilts unless you bring in North Seat Oil Platform technology, and the runway will be moving very close to the built up area. The Runway lights will end up in peoples back gardens unless they put a CPO on the entire Scotland Lane Estate. At the Yeadon end, the cemetary is too close to the runway and would have to be dug up with all the 'residents' at the side closest to the runway exhumed. The Chevin would become even closer to the runway than it already is too.


The Airport stance is that new aircraft types, such as the 787 will be capable of operating long haul from the existing runway and it is more important to build the terminal and parallel taxiways that invest many millions in a runway extension which will be required only by a few flights at best.


BTW, a very valid 'out of the box' thought - although if you get bored with teh nostalgia stuff, you could always not read it!! -

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

I think a number of airports with horizontally-challenged runways are looking to future aircraft developments that will remove the need to extend their runways.

As Heather pointed out the 787, which will be able to operate from runways such as those at Leeds to as far away as Capetown or the western coast of the USA without load penalty, and similar developments are the way forward.

This is and ought to be the way aviation is developing. Probably half a century into the future people will smile indulgently at two, even three-mile long runways at some airports round the world.

GKN Aerospace at Filton and Bristol University for instance are involved in projects costing tens of millions whereby weight of future aircraft can be drastically reduced using new composites and engines made more efficient and more environmentally friendly so that performance is significantly enhanced but from less weight.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

A couple of days ago I spoke to Carl Lapworth one of the airports Directors. I asked him if he knew when the airport expansion would go ahead. He said the airport company was still waiting for the council to rubber stamp the plans but he was hopeful that the work would start at some stage during the winter months.