Infrastructure, Construction & Developments

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

They may need a lot of money to launch a Judicial Review because if it goes ahead and they lose they may well be saddled with the airport's costs as well as their own.

Could be tens of thousands of pounds.

They may get money from far and wide because it could be a test case of whether the Labour Government's White Paper on Civil Aviation is still relevant today.

It is surprising though that their website has remained dormant for so long.

Most of their verbal rhetoric now seems to be coming from a woman who is a member of the airport's consultative committee and who seems to ask numerous questions at every meeting, instead of the former spokesman who I think was/is something to do with Friends of the Earth.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

[textarea]Giant mural unveiled by Tourism Minister

An eye-catching piece of art designed to welcome visitors to the South West went on show today (Friday 26 November) when the Tourism and Heritage Minister, John Penrose, officially unveiled a 57 metre long mural in Bristol Airport’s new arrivals walkway.

The mural was designed by Bristol based creative agency, Halo Media, and features images of many iconic attractions from across the region while capturing the South West’s blend of enterprise and natural beauty in a dramatic piece of art.

The mural adorns a 57 metre stretch of the Airport’s new walkway, which opened earlier this year. The walkway connects the terminal building to eight pre-boarding zones, enabling passengers to walk to and from aircraft undercover instead of being driven by bus.[/textarea]

http://www.bristolairport.co.uk/news-an ... aunch.aspx

The Tourism and Heritage minister is also MP for Weston-super-Mare and, along with another local Conservative MP Liam Fox, Minister of Defence, was one of the opponents of BRS's expansion.

Seems to have forgotten all that now he's a government minister.

Aviation news from BRS seems to have dried up in recent times. As things stand the airport will do well to match 2010's passenger numbers in 2011.

 

[alphagolf]

Planning Permission for Airport Hotel

EPR Architects have just gained Planning Permission for the first Bristol Airport hotel. The 251 bed, 'sustainable' hotel will be close to the Terminal Building, arranged in two wings that front onto a new landscaped area in front of the building.

The hotel has been designed to have a strong horizontal emphasis with colour used to articulate the form, and the striking metal cladding system used to disguise the regimented window arrangement common in budget hotels.

The heart of the hotel is the ground floor reception area which can be entered either from the car park or from the pedestrian walkway from the terminal. The restaurant and bar seating will spill out into this space to create 'a busy, welcoming and lively space'. Three meeting rooms, staff accommodation and administration offices are located close to the reception area in the north wing.

The building is designed to be sustainable, minimising the consumption of energy, materials and water through the selection of construction materials and technologies that minimise site wastage and that are locally sourced wherever possible.

Its good to see that the development of the airport is progressing! Anyone know, timescales for building work?

First post of 2011, so Happy New Year to you all! :yahoo:

 

[Aviador]

Re: Planning Permission for Airport Hotel

I've no idea really but I think it will progress very quickly probably with ground works beginning as soon as March. Fingers crossed.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

I don't know timescale for the hotel or when the major expansion might begin.

The airport has always said the major expansion will proceed incrementally as passenger numbers build and could take much of the coming decade now the 8-9 mppa projection has been put back from 2015 to 2019/2020.

SBAE seem to have missed the boat re a judicial review of the secretary of state's decision not to call in the plans for a public enquiry as I believe any application for a JR has to be commenced within three months (of the date the sec of state announced his decision which was last September).

I recently emailed the airport about possible SBAE legal action and was told they have no information other than SBAE's public threats to do so back in September - I don't think this was a guarded reply as the person at the airport knows me and is aware I'm a supporter of many years' standing and not an opponent.

Had SBAE commenced a JR application they would have been legally bound to have informed the airport owners as an interested party.

 

[alphagolf]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

The Contract for Architectural Services is due to be awarded around the 15th April 2011.

So we should see some movement once this is awarded.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

Consultative Committee - news re expansion

The minutes of the last BRS Airport Consultative Committee Meeting held on 3 November 2010 have now belatedly been published on the airport website and part of the meeting was devoted to a discussion on the expansion.

It was reported by management that the section 106 agreement (money to be supplied to local organisations/bodies as part of the planning agreement and in the BRS expansion case mainly financial support for local transport initiatives to the tune of around £5 million) was to be signed 'in the near future'. That was over two months ago so whether that 'near future' is now the past I don't know.

Wessex Water has expressed concern about the capacity of the existing sewerage system to take the additional effluent generated by the proposed developments.

An airport spokesman said that the planning consents for both the major expansion and the hotel contain conditions relating to drainage but in the case of the hotel it is not a holding condition (a condition that has to be discharged before any development can commence) so will not hold up construction of that building.

In the case of the general expansion meetings are yet to be arranged to discuss the holding condition relating to that.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

I think I was way too optimistic in my previous post. It would seem there is still a lot to do before work can begin.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

I think I was way too optimistic in my previous post. It would seem there is still a lot to do before work can begin.

For the major expansion yes, but there's no impediment to the hotel going ahead.

In fact, the delay in getting cracking on sorting out the drainage conditions for the major expansion is largely due to having had to wait for the secretary of state's decision about calling in the application which of course he decided not to do.

Presumably the airport then hung fire in case a judicial review was instituted which could have led to the application being referred to a public enquiry if the judge thought the sec of state had misdirected himself. A judicial review now looks unlikely because the time limit appears to have passed.

I don't think the drainage question will hold things up unreasonably and will be overcome (the airport has already established that excess surface water running into the drains is not from the airport).

The recession has taken some of the heat out of an urgent need to expand quickly - in 2008 the then 6.3 mppa looked as though the airport would be in severe difficulties with overcrowding as professionals were realistically talking about 7 mppa-plus by 2010.

Having said this, there is still a need to overcome overcrowding now at certain times as the airport CEO recognised in the minutes of this consultative committee meeting (see BRS General Thread). The expansion would double the size of the current terminal but whether the airport owners believe this is required imminently I doubt. I don't expect to see any significant expansion completed until at least 2015 - the hotel excepted.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

[textarea]Bristol hotel fumes as airport poster is ruled inaccurate

One of Bristol’s major hotels faces a huge bill after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled a poster at Bristol Airport saying the hotel is 10 minutes away was inaccurate.

The DoubleTree by Hilton, Cadbury House, in Congresbury is being forced to replace the poster after just one anonymous complaint to the ASA.

Despite the fact that evidence was given to the ASA that five out of 10 timed journeys to the hotel from the Airport took less than 10 minutes, the authority have ruled against them.

The ASA has now requested that the poster be replaced at a cost of thousands of pounds.

In support of its case the management team from the hotel made 10 separate trips to and from the airport timing each journey. These were made at different times of the day with half being made under 10 minutes.

They are now calling on the ASA to either look into a host of other travel claims to the airport, which it says are also inaccurate, or review its procedures when investigating cases.

Mark Hands, group general manager at DoubleTree by Hilton said: “The claim that Cadbury House is not 10 minutes away from Bristol Airport is totally unfounded. We have literally been out to make sure that what we are saying is true with 50% of our test runs being under the stated time.

“This case has not only cost us a lot of time but will also mean a hefty bill to replace the poster. And it’s a bill we could do without.

“We can’t believe that the ASA has acted on just one complaint from an individual who seems to have an awful lot of time on their hands.”[/textarea]
http://www.bristol247.com/2011/02/02/br ... naccurate/

Talk about being petty.

The hotel is about six miles from the airport in a local village - it's not in Bristol at all as the article suggests.

Ten minutes is certainly achievable and most people who know the area would say it's about a ten-minute drive from the airport if asked.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

I can't believe the Advertising Standards Authority even upheld the complaint given that only one person had made a complaint.

“We can’t believe that the ASA has acted on just one complaint from an individual who seems to have an awful lot of time on their hands.”

I would tend to agree with that statement even though I have never been to the area. Unfortunately some people have far too much time on their hands these days. Even if you were caught out because of traffic you would know it normally only takes around ten minutes. :nea:

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

[textarea]New Banksy Print At Bristol Museum?

There's speculation that graffiti artist Banksy has been up to his old tricks again in Bristol.

A new picture turned up at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery yesterday of Bristol Airport surrounded by flood water.

The image, which was in a gold frame, was placed on a wall next the museum's latest exhibition 'Flight'.

There's speculation what it could be the work of the Bristol graffiti artist as allegedly he's pulled similar stunts in the past.

In 2003 the artist added one his own creations to a wall at Tate Britain, before it fell off.

No one has claimed ownership of this new image but it could also be the work of campaigners against plans to expand Bristol Airport.[/textarea]
http://www.jackbristol.com/newscentre/b ... useum-5596

An amusing picture (can be viewed via the above link) and is the sort of thing that Banksy would do.

For those who've never heard of him Banksy is a nationally and internationall known graffiti artist who gravitated from the Bristol underground scene of politically motivated artists. His speciality is to comment on social issues in his pictures which are often drawn on walls or other surfaces in public places.

His identity is unknown but his pictures have sold for six figure sums so his apparent ultra socialist and left-wing views take second place to the opportunity to make a few quid.

In 2009 there was a 12-week long exhibition of Banksy's works at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery that attracted 300,000 visitors. His 'al fresco' works can be seen at various points around the city with the best known painted on the wall of a building opposite the Council House (city hall) which the city council elected to leave in place following a local poll.

In the Bristol Airport picture if floods ever reached the height depicted it would mean that thousands living in nearby towns and villages would also be flooded out as the airport sits over six hundred feet above the surrounding areas.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

An amusing picture to have on display. The anti airport lobby will be seeking to purchase copyrights for the picture so they can include it in all their write-ups by the local rag there.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

[textarea]New jobs and flight routes as airport growth starts


More jobs, flight routes and the start of community building work are just a few of the new developments arising from Bristol Airport’s expansion – and changes will kick in this year.

EasyJet has just announced the launch of 65 new jobs at the Lulsgate terminal as a result of £150million expansion plans that were approved last year.

Since the approval, which will mean the terminal doubles in size and up passenger numbers to 10 million a year by 2020, airport bosses have been busy sorting out a section 106 agreement, cash contributions from developers which are used for the benefit of the community.

An airport spokesman said the agreement, between the business and North Somerset Council, is due to be signed any day now and will cover obligations relating to access, noise, air quality, employment and the community.

The unitary authority’s member for strategic planning, Elfan Ap Rees, said: “I am very pleased that clearance for works to start at the airport is imminent, along with the creation of new jobs with one of the major operators.

“Bristol Airport is an important factor in the continuing economic development of North Somerset and the West of England and I look forward to the continuing growth.”

Passengers may have already noticed a new wind turbine at the site, and further key components of the development are now being prioritised with aircraft stands, extensions to the terminal, and improved car parking being first on the list.

Construction of a 250-bed hotel will also begin this year with a well-known international brand yet to be chosen.

A Bristol Airport spokesman said background work will take place over the coming months and passengers will see new routes and connections to destinations across the world.

From next month there will be flights three times daily to Dublin and onward to the US, from this summer there will be a fourth daily service to Amsterdam, and from November 2011 to April 2012 sun-seekers can fly to West African hotspot, Cape Verde.

The airport was one of only two airports in the UK’s top 10 to buck the trend as passenger numbers rose by 1.8 per cent in 2010 compared to 2009.

Despite the significant disruption to European air travel caused by snow, volcanic ash and air traffic control strikes, a total of 5.7 million passengers used Bristol Airport in 2010.

What is in Bristol Airport’s section 106 agreement?

Taken together with the planning conditions which form part of the approval for the development, the agreement provides controls and mitigation including:

? A Skills and Employment Plan aimed at delivering employment opportunities for people in villages surrounding the airport, Weston and South Bristol.

? £100,000 per year towards local bus services, including an enhanced, hourly 121 bus service between Bristol Airport and Weston.

? Improvements to local roads, focusing on junctions of the A38.

? A surface access strategy detailing how the target of 15 per cent of passengers using public transport will be achieved.

? A contribution to highway works to mitigate traffic congestion in Barrow Gurney.

? Creation of an Airport Environmental Improvement Fund, with Bristol Airport contributing £100,000 per year.

? An overall cap on night flights to reinforce the existing quota count system.

? The introduction of penalties for the breach of noise limits and incentives for the use of quieter aircraft (penalties to be paid into Airport Environmental Improvement Fund.[/textarea]

Not stated here but the airport has always said the expansion will be done incrementally in step with increasing passenger traffic. Additional aircraft stands and expansion of the terminal building are believed to be the priorities.

BRS seems to have been a work in progress since the late 1990s when construction of the new terminal building began which was completed in 2000 at a cost of £27 million.

Since then the airport has seen the A 38 diverted to allow Cat 3b ILS, a new control tower, an extension to the new terminal building at the eastern end, major amelioration to provide new search cones and transfer much of landside to airside within the terminal building and a western walkway. A conservative estimate puts the cost of these things in total at in excess of £30 million. Various other more minor alterations and improvements (such as re-aligning aircraft stands) have also been carried out.

Now it seems the major £150 million expansion may at last begin to become a reality as preparatory work begins this year.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

[textarea]Bristol Airport Awarded Carbon Trust Standard

Bristol Airport has been awarded the Carbon Trust Standard after taking action to measure, manage and reduce its carbon emissions by nearly 4 per cent.

The Carbon Trust Standard recognises organisations for real carbon reduction. Based on rigorous, independent assessment, it certifies that organisations have measured, managed and reduced their carbon emissions across their own operations and are committed to reducing them year on year.

Alan Davies, Planning and Environment Director at Bristol Airport, said:

“We are delighted to have achieved the Carbon Trust Standard. This demonstrates how seriously we take our environmental responsibilities, and underlines the effectiveness of our efforts to reduce carbon emissions over the last 12 months.

“Most importantly, we must continue to reduce emissions year on year in order to maintain accreditation, providing further incentive for environmental management to remain a top priority.”

Harry Morrison, General Manager, the Carbon Trust Standard, said:

“Being certified with the Carbon Trust Standard is proof that an organisation has taken genuine action to reduce its impact on climate change. We congratulate Bristol Airport on this achievement.”

A team of environmental champions has been formed, with representatives drawn from key departments across Bristol Airport, to support the objective to reduce emissions by five per cent per annum.

Initiatives which helped successfully lower carbon emissions include the introduction of motion sensitive lighting; new heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in the terminal; and reduced coach movements as a result of the construction of a new western walkway. Further use of wind power (following the installation of a 20m high vertical axis turbine in December 2010) and a bio-mass generator form part of future development plans.[/textarea]
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/6/prweb8598944.htm

Something to chuck back into the face of the environmental opponents of the airport but no doubt they will say it's too little too late.

 

[Aviador]

It's good to see the airport is reaching the Carbon Trust Standard. I'm not a huge fan of wind turbines at airports though. I find them a bit gimmicky, more of a way of looking green as opposed to being green.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Aircraft Parking

I've read a couple of posts on different aviation message boards recently that suggest BRS is running close to capacity at times.

There are 20 based aircraft (easyJet, Ryanair, Thomson and Thomas Cook) with three night stoppers (KLM Cityhopper, Air France and bmiRegional for Brussels Airlines).

On one message board a BRS-based pilot (I believe for easyJet) said he was allocated the last available parking stand the other night.

Peak summer 2010 saw a similar number of based passenger aircraft as this - plus a Viking 737 until that company ceased to trade and a mail aircraft.

With talk of more airlines next summer, though not necessarily based so they could be threaded into the network, and the possibility of easyJet returning to a peak summer allocation of 12 aircraft (last seen in summer 2008) I suspect the management must be looking closely at the situation. They wouldn't want to lose out to somewhere else for lack of parking space.

I hope the delaying tactics of the expansion opponents with their judicial review talk is not holding things up in this regard.

 

[Aviador]

Most airports have peaks and troughs.

I would think people mean the airport is running at capacity during peak periods as opposed to meaning at capacity full stop.

Many airports try to counter this problem by attracting airlines to operate from other bases into their airport during the quieter periods. Quieter periods tend to occur after all the based aircraft have left to do the first sector of the day.

Most regional airports have quieter spells mid morning and then mid afternoon and again in the evening for departures as most aircraft are returning to night-stop.

Basically, the airport will need to become cleverer at juggling and negotiating with airlines to fill the remaining gaps where they exist.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Yes, it's at near full capacity overnight and the peaks and troughs you mention occur during the rest of the day, never better illustrated by the 10-minute frequency Airport Flyer to/from the city centre which can be seen overflowing with passengers at times and near empty at others.

Whilst the new legacy carriers the airport talked about are unlikely to be based, then again the Lufthansa (Eurowings) Bae 146 to FRA stayed overnight, the airport will obviously hope that the likes of easyJet and Ryanair will increase their presence, and a few months ago Monarch spoke about basing at the airport.

There aren't as many charter night flights as there once were when charter aircraft would return after the early easyJets etc had already started their day's work freeing up stands.

So clearly the management needs to be one step ahead of the game and usually is. The stated plan is to expand the airport incrementally as traffic builds though the doubling in size of the terminal itself will be one of the priorities.

A lack of overnight parking stands would obviously be a deterrent to new airlines basing or existing ones expanding their bases.

 

[alphagolf]

Bristol Airport currently has a planning application in with North Somerset Council to extend the Western Apron to include 6 more aircraft stands, 4 upto A321/B737-800w, 1 B737-800w and 1 EMB145/BAE146.

The application was recieved on the 5th May and has a target date of the 19th Aug, so another 3 weeks and we may have a decision.

As per usual the normal objectors are there, stating the airport is trying increase capacity outside of the expansion planning application that stated that only 3 stands would be constructed initially!

Follow the link below and it takes you to the planning application and its associated documents!

http://wam.n-somerset.gov.uk/MULTIW...=show&appType=Planning&appNumber=11/P/0943/RM