Infrastructure, Construction & Developments

[kraktoa]

Eastern extension is on schedule. Open by end of mid July. The western extension ie: larger security search areas (upper floor) and arrivals immigration hall and baggage halls (ground floor airside) wills tart in september this year for completion summer 2016.

 

[kraktoa]

Hope the airport sets up a time lapse camera for when the hotel is built. As entire floors are built in China and shipped over in one piece it should be fun to see the time lapse sequense. It will come up in extra quick time i guess.

 

[alphagolf]

Bristol Airport has posted a photo of the new eastern terminal extension with a breakdown of what will be included.

• 
  On the Upper Level........
  A new premium product executive lounge. (Second lounge)
  A new premium restaurant and bar.
  An outdoor terrace.
  
  On the Lower Level........
  A range of new shops. (It doesn't detail any brands)

Looks good so far, we are travelling through in August so I hope its all finished by then. :good:

 

[Marko1]

Is there a link to the photo ? Can't see it on the airport website

 

[alphagolf]

Is there a link to the photo ? Can't see it on the airport website

Marko1

Sorry I forgot to place a link to Bristol Airports instagram page.

https://instagram.com/bristolairport/

Hope the link works

 

[Marko1]

Thanks alpha golf

 

[tpm]

Interesting comments on that photo thread too: the lounge is not going to replace the existing Aspire lounge, but will be a "more premium" second lounge. There must be something in the works to justify that (not sure if the current mix of routes does?).

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Winters Lane 'Viewing area'

Not strictly 'Airport Infrastructure and Developments' but it's near enough without starting another thread.

For those unfamiliar with BRS, Winters Lane is, well, a narrow lane that winds around the western edge of the airfield. There is an area about 300-400 metres long beside the lane that has a wide 'pull in' where there are always a lot of cars and other vehicles occupied by people watching the aircraft landing and taking off. It's also a very poplar spot with photographers despite a high chain-link fence between the pull-in and the airfield.

The view is quite spectacular with the Severn estuary 600 feet below backdropped by the Welsh coast, mountains behind and the cities of Cardiff and Newport. On a really clear day it's possible to see the Quantocks and the edge of Exmoor beyond the Mendip Hills range that lies about four miles away to the south across the broad Wrington Vale. Ironically, the one place you can't see is the city of Bristol that lies to the north below the level of the nearby horizon.

So, having established that this is a very popular spot for aircraft watching the not so good news is that utility workers are in the process of taking possession of a large part of the pull-in in order to lay drainage pipes. There is already an area about 40 metres long cordoned off by temporary fencing and this is likely to be extended in the near future.

I spoke to someone who appeared to be a 'suit', an active one at that as he was playing with a theodolite, and asked how long the work would take. He didn't know. I told him I thought I'd read that the pull-in was to be resurfaced. He didn't know that either but said that the trench in which the pipes would be laid would have to be covered with tarmac so that might in effect be a form of resurfacing.

 

[jfy1999]

It's a shame the way more and more of the best spotting areas are being eaten up for various things, unfortunately aircraft spotters are never very high up on an airport's list of priorities :s_sad

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Winters Lane 'Viewing area'

Not strictly 'Airport Infrastructure and Developments' but it's near enough without starting another thread.

For those unfamiliar with BRS, Winters Lane is, well, a narrow lane that winds around the western edge of the airfield. There is an area about 300-400 metres long beside the lane that has a wide 'pull in' where there are always a lot of cars and other vehicles occupied by people watching the aircraft landing and taking off. It's also a very poplar spot with photographers despite a high chain-link fence between the pull-in and the airfield.

The view is quite spectacular with the Severn estuary 600 feet below backdropped by the Welsh coast, mountains behind and the cities of Cardiff and Newport. On a really clear day it's possible to see the Quantocks and the edge of Exmoor beyond the Mendip Hills range that lies about four miles away to the south across the broad Wrington Vale. Ironically, the one place you can't see is the city of Bristol that lies to the north below the level of the nearby horizon.

So, having established that this is a very popular spot for aircraft watching the not so good news is that utility workers are in the process of taking possession of a large part of the pull-in in order to lay drainage pipes. There is already an area about 40 metres long cordoned off by temporary fencing and this is likely to be extended in the near future.

I spoke to someone who appeared to be a 'suit', an active one at that as he was playing with a theodolite, and asked how long the work would take. He didn't know. I told him I thought I'd read that the pull-in was to be resurfaced. He didn't know that either but said that the trench in which the pipes would be laid would have to be covered with tarmac so that might in effect be a form of resurfacing.

It's a shame the way more and more of the best spotting areas are being eaten up for various things, unfortunately aircraft spotters are never very high up on an airport's list of priorities :s_sad

The drainage pipe works are only a temporary intrusion. The lane is a public road and the airport has no control over it. It's an unofficial spotting area, one which has been accepted by the authorities for many years and it's patrolled regularly by the local police unit based at the airport.

The extension to BRS's terminal which is due for completion this summer features an outdoor terrace area with tables and chairs sited at the top of the building. This will give some view of part of the apron and runway, although it seems it will be a restricted view. Currently, there is very little view of the aprons/runway in the main terminal once airside is reached (nothing at all landside) until the pre-boarding zones are entered after a flight is called.

 

[big g]

I have just been looking at the jobs page on the BRS website, and I noticed positions for JD sports and Monsoon. So that's part of the puzzle of new shops goin in.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

You must be a mind reader big g. Earlier today I was going to ask if anyone knew which new retailers were lined up for the terminal extension area but then I forgot to do so.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Update on facilities under construction or in pipeline.

The minutes of the last airport consultative committee meeting (held on 29 April this year) have now been published on the airport website. A lot of information disseminated related to infrastructure developments, viz:

1. The Eastern Terminal Extension currently in process of construction will open on 1 July this year.

2. The Silver Zone Car Park extension is 'progressing well'.

3. The A 38 road works that will improve airport access are due to be completed by the end of this month.

4. Work on the onsite hotel will commence 'shortly' for opening in spring 2016.

5. The planned Western Terminal Extension will include a new security search area.

6. A planning application will be made to extend the basement under the terminal in conjunction with the approved first phase of the Western Terminal Extension. The basement will assist in the provision of facilities and storage.

7. A new Silver Zone Car park reception is in the offing.

 

[kraktoa]

The Northside main entrance roundabout will be tarmaced and finished on monday night. The road is in quite a dire pot holed state now and will be a big improvement. Hope they do a thorough job with it and deep foundations to that road as it sees some crazy traffic volumes. So expect diversions monday night to tuesday morning.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Eastern extension of main terminal building.

There was an item on BBC West local tv news today ('Points West') where their industry reporter did a report on the terminal extension. He was allowed to take his camera crew into the new extension to give viewers an idea of what was taking shape.

It was difficult to get an appreciation of the finished article from the film but the airport's commercial development officer seemed to say that the bar (and therefore presumably the adjacent roof garden) would be a premium product. Is that a euphemism for a second executive lounge?

Inevitably local politicians were interviewed and one of Bristol's new Green Party councillors predictably yearned for more rail travel rather than air, but did say he had no wish to stop people going on holiday by air - quite generous of him really.

 

[tpm]

the airport's commercial development officer seemed to say that the bar (and therefore presumably the adjacent roof garden) would be a premium product. Is that a euphemism for a second executive lounge?

The short video clip on the BBC Bristol website made it sound like the roof terrace would feature a bar for hoi polloi and a premium restaurant. There was a mention some time ago that the extension will feature a second executive lounge which according to the airport will be "a more premium product than the existing Aspire Lounge". (Which led me to remark that there must be something in the works that would justify such a lounge...)

Didn't seem like there'd actually be a view onto the runway from the roof terrace though, shame.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Thanks for that, tpm.

The tv report I saw on the bulletin that commenced at 1830 today featured a longer report part of which involved an onsite interview with the commercial development manager (I think that was her title). When she spoke of a premium bar (whatever that might mean - fine wines or just higher prices to keep out the proletariat?) it could be interpreted that the adjacent roof terrace was also part of the premium product.

However, your linked clip has the same interviewer suggesting the roof terrace will be open to anyone. We shall soon see - it's due to open on 1 July.

 

[kraktoa]

Sadly any premium product will suffer from the rule that only plastic pint cups will be allowed in the open air areas. Makes it a tad down market dont you think. Besides the 7 foot high glass walls around the perimeter will take away a bit of the fun too imo.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Sadly any premium product will suffer from the rule that only plastic pint cups will be allowed in the open air areas. Makes it a tad down market dont you think. Besides the 7 foot high glass walls around the perimeter will take away a bit of the fun too imo.

I still don't know what is meant by a premium product in this sense. I assume the executive lounge is but are any of the other current refreshment outlets at the airport considered premium bars or restaurants?

It does seem that the view from the open terrace (albeit enclosed in a seven foot high transparent fence) will be a restricted one but it will certainly be better than nothing at all. Some people I speak to still remember the small open air terrace at the original terminal at the airport. I certainly do - you could shout to your friends or relatives as they were walking out to board their aircraft or when they were walking back to the terminal on their return.

 

[kraktoa]

I have not had any definitive answer as to whether the open air part will be a smokers zone. That would drive away a part of the clientelle and introduce hazards like the fire risk airside relatively close to planes.

The reason for plastic pint glasses was that an idiot could fling a glass one into the apron. But then an idiot could frisbee a dinner plate into the apron too. There is no suggestion of paper plates yet but that wouldnt do much for a premium product would it