Infrastructure, Construction & Developments

[alphagolf]

Report on The Caterer website on 20th November 2014

Modular hotel scoops Bristol Airport deal

Contracts have been exchanged on a development of a 200 bedroom hotel at Bristol Airport, following 2 years of negotiations.

CIMC Modular Building Systems of China will invest £15 million in developing the hotel, which is scheduled to open in 2016.

It is already in negotiations with a shortlist of hotel operators, with Hampton by Hilton rumoured as the front runner.

Link to report below:

https://www.thecaterer.com/articles/354271/modular-hotel-scoops-bristol-airport-deal

 

[TheLocalYokel]

It does seem then that at long, long last (how many years?!) the airport hotel might actually begin to see foundations dug.

 

[Ray Finkle]

The fact that an operator is almost secured should be a sign that ground will be broken soon. Whichever operator gets the deal I wonder if they will look to change the design of the building to their own spec.

 

[superking]

hotel.
if footings are started for the hotel,it should not take so long to buils, as would think it would not dig so deep till it hit rock, so no pile driving, which would save time lol.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The minutes of the latest airport consultative committee meeting have now been published and a number of infrastructure items were discussed.

Eastern extension to terminal

This is expected to be open by July next year and the names of retailers taking space should be known by February.

Western extension to terminal

A planning application for this extension is currently being prepared. Note: Outline planning consent has already been given and it's a case of submitting a detailed application.

Travelators

The airport has a long term aim to install travelators but the cost of installation and maintenance is high.

Access roads

Work is planned to improve A38 access with two sets of traffic lights at Downside Road and West Lane. There will also be a dedicated lane for airport traffic at the northern roundabout of the A 38 (I thought there already was).

I recently used the airport and experienced the near sublime and the ridiculous (ridiculous to some but not to me).

Outbound our easyJet departed from the eastern apron and we accessed via gate 31 in the new central walkway complex. I was impressed.

Our return on a damp night was to one of the stands at the far end of the western apron (I'm not sure of the number) but it entails a short walk across the apron, up some stairs and along the full length of the western walkway (over 400 metres) to reach immigration and baggage reclaim. Now I have to confess that I rather enjoy the exercise after being seated in an aircraft seat for a while but I appreciate there are those who find it a physical trial (there is assistance for those who pre-arrange it but who knows beforehand what stand will be used?) and others who just don't like walking (often the ones who should do a bit of exercise). Anyway I heard the usual grumbles about the length of the walk.

 

[ezy_brs]

Good evening Local Yokel! I hope you are well? The western extension I am reliably informed is out for tender for construction to begin as soon as the current contractors have finished, with the current contractors being the preferred ones as then they can start immediately upon completion of the eastern extension. My sources reckon July start date, however I can't help but feel it will not be until the same time next year as then the passenger numbers naturally decline and then there will not be that big an impact for the airport operations.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I'm fine thank you, and I trust yourself.

Many thanks for the western terminal extension update. I note the skeleton of the eastern extension is now beginning to take shape.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

[textarea]Bristol Flying School opens for business

On Wednesday 10 December 2014, Robert Sinclair, Chief Executive Officer at Bristol Airport, officially opened The Bristol Flying School at Bristol Airport. This new purpose-built facility provides offices, training rooms, bar and restaurant facilities situated to the south of the runway.

The building will be the new home of The Bristol & Wessex Aeroplane Club providing training for student pilots with all the support of a flying club network. Aeros Flight Training offers commercial pilot training. Both businesses and their members can take full advantage of the Flight Lounge, bar and restaurant with extensive views of the Airport whilst relaxing in the lounge area.

Invited guests joined representatives from Bristol Airport and Bristol & Wessex Aeroplane Club for the official opening and plaque unveiling of the new facilities.

Barry Bailey, Bristol Flying School and Bristol & Wessex Aeroplane Club said:

“This is a very special day and we wanted to celebrate everyone’s achievement and their involvement in this project. Since the purchase of Bristol & Wessex Aeroplane Club in 2009 we have been working hard with Bristol Airport to identify the right investment opportunity and we are proud that we are now making this a reality in 2014. The club has an unmatched history in the Bristol area dating back to 1927 and with the construction of The Bristol Flying School the future remains set to meet the original club aim; to promote civil General Aviation flying in Bristol and the surrounding area.”

Robert Sinclair, Bristol Airport said:

“I am delighted to officially open The Bristol Flying School at Bristol Airport. This new facility will assist pilots across the South West by providing the latest facilities for students learning to fly or looking to further develop their careers in the aviation industry.

“Not only is Bristol Airport proud to be home to one of the oldest established flying clubs in the UK, we are delighted this is now coupled with a leading edge commercial pilot training facility.”[/textarea]

Airport press release at http://www.bristolairport.co.uk/media-c ... chool.aspx

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Airport hotel at long last

After so many years of false dawns it looks as though the airport hotel will become a reality and will open in the spring of next year. Bristol is easily the busiest airport in the UK with no onsite airport hotel.

[textarea]Hilton Worldwide Embarks on Partnership with CIMC to Develop its First Modular Hotel at Bristol Airport

Agreement Sees Innovative Construction Model Facilitate Growth in Mature and Emerging Markets

Hilton Worldwide has reached an agreement with modular building provider CIMC to develop the first hotel at Bristol Airport under its economy Hampton by Hilton brand. Financed and owned by CIMC, the hotel will be managed by Hilton Worldwide, drawing on its extensive experience of operating airport hotels at many of the world’s top transport hubs.

Today’s announcement marks a strategic partnership between Hilton Worldwide and CIMC. CIMC’s innovative modular technique significantly reduces the time taken for construction by manufacturing and assembling portions of the hotel, including guest rooms and hallways, in China, before transporting them to the final site for assembly. The model helps ensure consistent quality and accelerates the build schedule on site, a benefit for developers and investors in mature and emerging markets alike.

Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president, development, Europe & Africa, Hilton Worldwide said, “CIMC’s capacity to deliver modular sections of the building to the final hotel site offers an incredible opportunity to overcome many of the challenges faced during construction.

“Alongside potential time and cost efficiencies, CIMC’s ability to provide senior debt to developers using its modular building technique underpins its robust growth model, and we are seeing more and more opportunity for this structure in mature markets such as the UK, and developing economies, most notably in Africa.”

Robert Sinclair, Chief Executive Officer at Bristol Airport said: “The development of a high quality on-site hotel to be operated under such a world-renowned brand will be a very welcome addition to our facilities for the growing number of passengers choosing to fly to and from Bristol Airport. Alongside the terminal extension currently under construction, this is another statement of our ambition to be a world class regional airport serving the South West of the UK.”

The 201 guest room property is expected to open in spring 2016 and will be the first hotel at the Airport. Bristol is the only top ten UK airport to see passenger growth every year since 2009 and saw record volumes last year when 6.3 million people passed through the terminal, making it the UK’s ninth busiest passenger airport . It was also named the world’s most punctual airport in a league table measuring on-time performance based on data compiled from over 43 million flight records by aviation data provider, OAG.

Paul Blackmore, Managing Director CIMC MBS said “CIMC are very happy to be working alongside Hilton Worldwide and Bristol Airport to develop a quality hotel with the strength of the Hilton network and the continuing growth of Bristol Airport. This is a key milestone in the ongoing relationship with Hilton Worldwide and the first of a number of Hilton hotels CIMC hope to build in 2015.”

CIMC MBS is the modular division of parent company CIMC Group, the $10Bn USD turnover Chinese PLC. The funding for the scheme with be coming from the Internal Financing Division, CIMC Capital. CIMC MBS have capabilities to own, develop, fund and supply modular units to hotel projects and are actively pursuing development opportunities with Hilton Worldwide in multiple countries

Hampton by Hilton has grown exponentially across Europe, where is now boasts more than 75 hotels trading or under development. Hampton by Hilton Bristol Airport will incorporate flexible meeting spaces for business guests, a 24-hour fitness room, parking for 120 cars, in addition to complimentary WiFi and Hampton’s On the House® hot breakfast.[/textarea]

Airport press release at http://www.bristolairport.co.uk/media-c ... ilton.aspx

 

[kraktoa]

Any mention anywhere on how many floors planned for this hotel? Dont see much happening on the multi storey car park in front of the terminal. The side extension has all the steel work in place but again not much happening since. Waiting for spring?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Any mention anywhere on how many floors planned for this hotel? Dont see much happening on the multi storey car park in front of the terminal. The side extension has all the steel work in place but again not much happening since. Waiting for spring?

This newspaper article gives an artist's impression of the hotel.

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Tourism-Ai ... story.html

They seemed to be working on the terminal extension when I was at the airport late last week.

 

[kraktoa]

Plans afoot to at last extend the arrivals hall. It has been neglected for decades even though passenger numbers are increasing. Completion summer 2016.

The baggage hall area will also get an extension.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Plans afoot to at last extend the arrivals hall. It has been neglected for decades even though passenger numbers are increasing. Completion summer 2016.

It could certainly do with expanding. At times it can be quite crowded with meeters and greeters and passengers making their way from airside to landside. There's only one small cafe there too.

The baggage hall area will also get an extension.

Again the space can be inadequate at busy times. I wonder if this will include an increase in the number of carousels. Is this part of the west terminal extension which rumour suggests will follow on almost immediately after the current east terminal extension work is finished?

 

[kraktoa]

Its not just the arrivals hall but most importantly the immigration arrivals hall that will be extended. One wall will be extended into what is now the departures baggage delivery systems ie: check in to plane. The current immigration hall is woefully small.

The western extension means the current exit will be moved along further to the west. New carousels will be added. All within the next 18 months. Wow. That will be some work after the eastern walkway extension.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Thanks again. What's the work going on the western end of the car park? A large area seems to be being worked on with, it seems, raised kerbs being put in at various places. Is that preparatory work for the hotel or something to do with enhancing the car park?

The western extension will certainly be another major task. The airport seems to have been continually being expanded for nearly the last 20 years:

New terminal opened 2000.
A 38 diverted around that time.
New control tower also opened in that period.
Single storey extension to the east of new terminal opened a few years after the new terminal opened.
Western walkway completed a few years ago.
Central walkway/pier opened last year.
Eastern extension to terminal currently under construction.
Airport hotel to be opened next year.
Western extension including the improvements you mention to be completed next year.

In addition there have been numerous smaller projects involving such things as three new aircraft stands, additional security stations, turning a substantial part of what was landside into airside to name but a few.

 

[Aviador]

Hi TheLocalYokel

Have you ever worked out how much the airport has spent during that time?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Hi TheLocalYokel

Have you ever worked out how much the airport has spent during that time?

The terminal cost £27 million at 2000 prices with the control tower around £4 million and the A38 diversion about £5 million again at 2000 prices.

The western walkway was about £7 million and the various smaller schemes probably accounted for at least £10 million, maybe considerably more because so many things have been done that I've forgotten some of them. So that's well over £50 million.

When the planning permission was approved for the major expansion in 2010 it was said that eventually around £150 million would be spent from then on.

Since then around £6 million has been spent on the central walkway/pier and the current eastern extension to the terminal has eaten up some more of that - I'm not sure how much. It seems that the western extension to the terminal will follow.

 

[kraktoa]

I dont go near the western end of the car park as my usual route is down the main staff car park and into the terminal. but i have seen works there and assumed it was to do with the hotel.

tell me about the A38 diversion. What was its original route. I came to the airport in 2003 although travelled as a passenger in 1997 out of the old terminal. Couldnt remember the A38 config from back then.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I dont go near the western end of the car park as my usual route is down the main staff car park and into the terminal. but i have seen works there and assumed it was to do with the hotel.

tell me about the A38 diversion. What was its original route. I came to the airport in 2003 although travelled as a passenger in 1997 out of the old terminal. Couldnt remember the A38 config from back then.

The A38 ran in a straight line between the current roundabouts that respectively form the main entrance to the airport and the entrance to the Silver Zone/Bristol Flying Centre/GA apron. The roundabouts did not exist prior to the A38 diversion and the main airport entrance formed a t-junction with the A38 with no traffic control.

In those days there were traffic signals on the A38 at points either side of the extended runway line which stopped traffic when large jets landed from the east. In those days passenger numbers were never more than 2 mppa and movements correspondingly lighter.

I believe the main purpose of the diversion was to enable the installation of the Cat 3b ILS on r/w 27 although if the runway ever was extended onto Felton Common the A38 could be dropped into a tunnel beneath it. The diversion entailed some excavation of a low rock cutting as you will be aware.

If you visit the BRS Overview thread on page 2 (scroll down a bit on that page) you will find an aerial picture taken not long after the A38 was diverted and the original line of the A38 can be seen to the right of the roundabout in the bottom left of the picture.

I lived at Redhill when a kid in the 1950s and the runway was considerably shorter than it is now - which is saying something! Winters Lane which comes up from the south from Redhill and now snakes all around the western end of the airport to become Cooks Bridle Path (somewhat of a misnomer for a public road) used to carry on in a straight line to join C B P until the runway was extended in the early 1960s.

 

[superking]

dont forget the traic lights were in use as well. they were used when planes lined up for take off on rwy 27.
yes the a38 was diverted due to the cat 3 system installed. if the a38 was left where it was then the landing system picked up false messages from traffic on the a38.
the traffic lights were not used for much landing traffic.