Birmingham: Airport Infrastructure, Construction & Developments

[nwoody2001]

You have answered your own question: routes, price, convenience and vision! Not BHX I’m afraid and I do not even have to mention the implication of appalling management decisions.

you clearly didn't read my question then lol ...but lets leave it at there!

 

[Ianbutty]

If this summer is anywhere as near as bad as the last then I'll seriously consider using EMA until it's dealt with. My in-laws have already done so. I'm not sure how long these internal rearrangements can go on for until we finally see shovels in the ground to expand the footprint.

Ironically Paul Kehoe has just received planning permission for a new terminal to take LTN from 18mppa to 32mppa. Remember when BHX had this kind of ambition?

I really hope that whoever takes the airport on has a vision and the will to make it happen as it kind of feels as if the mistakes of the past are being made again with BHX standing still whilst others push on.

I could not agree more. There appears to be a lack of ambition at BHX to put in place the infrastructure and capacity for growth. A crap temporary tent does not wash when the old Eurohub was once earned for a proper concrete, steel and glass expansion.

The management need to get their act together. Luton has stolen a March big time and we know that Manchester has everything in place to become a 50 mppa and stanstead has consent to 45 mppa. What do we have: a few more night flights and a tent.

Whereas with HS2 would have made BHX a very attractive proposition for North londoners, the additional capacity at Luton now makes that the better option ...given how constrained Luton is right now.

Come on BHX get your act together and invest massively. Build a 30 mppa airport as once intended. They will come and those who go elsewhere will come back.

 

[Matt995]

I could not agree more. There appears to be a lack of ambition at BHX to put in place the infrastructure and capacity for growth. A crap temporary tent does not wash when the old Eurohub was once earned for a proper concrete, steel and glass expansion.

The management need to get their act together. Luton has stolen a March big time and we know that Manchester has everything in place to become a 50 mppa and stanstead has consent to 45 mppa. What do we have: a few more night flights and a tent.

Whereas with HS2 would have made BHX a very attractive proposition for North londoners, the additional capacity at Luton now makes that the better option ...given how constrained Luton is right now.

Come on BHX get your act together and invest massively. Build a 30 mppa airport as once intended. They will come and those who go elsewhere will come back.

but where is the money coming from for this??? The Council have no money, and the main investor wants out, so why would they spend needless money? Only hope is a rich new investor!!!

 

[Birmingham Aviation]

I know it’s irrelevant to this thread and topic .I went to R15 to watch planes today and the amount of rubbish Bike marks and litter around the area is a health hazard and environmental issue.

 

[Ianbutty]

but where is the money coming from for this??? The Council have no money, and the main investor wants out, so why would they spend needless money? Only hope is a rich new investor!!!

Luton Airport is owned by the Council. If they can do it so can the councils who own BHX. Yes they are waiting for a new investor, but they must show more ambition. greater Birmingham councils are all too often too cautious.

The airport made a £42 million profit last year. Not bad on £184 million turnover. So a healthy balanced sheet. They need to invest.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Interesting comments from Councillors about the new HS2 people mover not actually stopping inside the airport like the current one does. I think it's something that we picked up on here when the images were released.

Looking at the comments from the airport it sadly seems as if the cost is just too high 🙁

Hopefully we'll eventually see plans for a new T2 into which the people mover will be fully integrated.

More frustrations as HS2's new automated trains won’t stop inside Birmingham Airport

Criticism arises over HS2's new driverless train bypassing Birmingham Airport terminal, raising accessibility concerns among Solihull council members

kenilworth.nub.news

 

[juliet-fox-9]

They should keep the existing Air-rail open alongside the new one. Is it worth spending to demolish it just for a little extra retail space?

 

[nbdm]

They should keep the existing Air-rail open alongside the new one. Is it worth spending to demolish it just for a little extra retail space?

While I agree keeping the old one would be great (fully integrated to the buildings at BOTH ends, unlike the new one which will need an outdoor walk of some sort at all 4 stops...) I imagine they are demolishing to reduce ongoing maintenance cost? Particularly the 80s guideway structure must be getting on a bit..

 

[Ianbutty]

Interesting comments from Councillors about the new HS2 people mover not actually stopping inside the airport like the current one does. I think it's something that we picked up on here when the images were released.

Looking at the comments from the airport it sadly seems as if the cost is just too high 🙁

Hopefully we'll eventually see plans for a new T2 into which the people mover will be fully integrated.

More frustrations as HS2's new automated trains won’t stop inside Birmingham Airport

Criticism arises over HS2's new driverless train bypassing Birmingham Airport terminal, raising accessibility concerns among Solihull council members

kenilworth.nub.news

Sigh. I give up. It will probably stop 500 metres away with a lengthy walk through a urine infested tunnel to a basement next to the boiler and up a temporary out of order single three person lift to the terminal.

Welcome to Birmingham: THE CITY WHERE AMBITION PEAKED IN AUGUST 2022.

They should sell the airport to Knighthead and install Joe Lycett as the main man. Both are doing more to promote the city than anyone.

 

[Jon Dempsey]

Perhaps they could build a shed to house the extra people during peak hours of the APM!

 

[Hassaan]

They should sell the airport to Knighthead and install Joe Lycett as the main man. Both are doing more to promote the city than anyone.

I wonder if Joe Lycett would be in favour of a spotting area. 😀

 

[juliet-fox-9]

While I agree keeping the old one would be great (fully integrated to the buildings at BOTH ends, unlike the new one which will need an outdoor walk of some sort at all 4 stops...) I imagine they are demolishing to reduce ongoing maintenance cost? Particularly the 80s guideway structure must be getting on a bit..

Yes, the possibility of it coming to the end of its service life is a point I hadn’t considered.

Perhaps they could build a shed to house the extra people during peak hours of the AMP!

Don’t give them ideas! They’ll be putting up marquees to house people while the shed is being built!

 

[Ianbutty]

I wonder if Joe Lycett would be in favour of a spotting area. 😀

Tell you what, concert the old Terminal into a Spot Joe Lycett tourist attraction and millions would come and visit.

Seriously though: why not the airport bring on board people like Joe? Think outside the box.

 

[Nibbles]

While I agree keeping the old one would be great (fully integrated to the buildings at BOTH ends, unlike the new one which will need an outdoor walk of some sort at all 4 stops...) I imagine they are demolishing to reduce ongoing maintenance cost? Particularly the 80s guideway structure must be getting on a bit..

That is exactly why - it costs a small fortune to keep in operation. And, at the terminal end, it takes up space that they have in mind for other 'things', principally a further expansion of security. The planning app for the security upgrade shows the rough plan.

A sensible approach would've been to follow the alignment of the existing people mover - though retaining the service during construction would be problematic.

The next best idea would be to slot it in to the building (i.e. the escalator goes straight down in to the departures hall). There isnt space currently but - and i say this with precisely no knowledge of what they have in mind longer term - if the frontage of the southern departures area was moved outwards 5m or so - across the existing footway - you could get off the APM directly in to the building whilst retaining the setback from roads etc. required to keep MI5 happy.

The biggest issue i see though is that those the APM is furthest away from check-in for what you might consider the 'prestige' carriers e.g. Emirates/Qatar/etc., as well as the carriers that might expect to offer quality service to regular travellers e.g. Lufthansa. I say this as they are likely to be the ones to grumble most about forcing pax to walk the full length of the airport. Conversely, Jet2 - in the airports current config - get the best access to the train station. I could therefore see a switch round to move Jet2 to the northern end and bring Emirates et al to the south end. We shall see what happens...

 

[Hassaan]

Tell you what, concert the old Terminal into a Spot Joe Lycett tourist attraction and millions would come and visit.

Seriously though: why not the airport bring on board people like Joe? Think outside the box.

I've been trying to get them to look at converting the old terminal - they've said they've had some external interest with regards to repurposing it (based on some email conversations I've had) but nothing since.

 

[Birmingham Aviation]

Why can’t bhx buy the Hatchford golf course.The expansion figures would be emasculating

 

[Ray Finkle]

Why can’t bhx buy the Hatchford golf course

Too close to the housing estate.

Apparently if the stands adjacent to the fire station are ever built they'll be for parking only due to the proximity of the houses.

I think if the apron is ever extended it'll be to the south into the car parks.

 

[Nibbles]

The plans that were kicking around pre-covid didnt move the northern extent of the apron from its current location (though did include a satellite pier to access the (currently) remote stands). You are correct that the apron was extended to provide more stands by bulldozing some of the car parks. I cant recall exactly how much of the car park was lost, i recall roughly the area up to Bird Roundabout giving you about half of the parking in that area but providing 10 or so extra stands.

Re Hatchford Brook site - losing the green/leisure space would not be popular for a whole variety of reasons and, as noted, there are lots of houses nearby. Its also not particularly big in the grand scheme of things - giving you two terminals that would have to operate completely separately (and hence not efficiently). One might argue that a wholesale redevelopment of the west side of the airport replacing all the cargo/maintenance areas and the golf course - but that would cost a fortune, and what would you do with the 'old' bit on the east (you couldnt, for example, sell it for houses...). And either way, you still end up with the airfield layout being a constraint to operating more flights - as it would be if you expand on the eastern side to the max. And that is not forgetting that you've got to get planning permission to build it which would be very difficult given the number of residential areas overflown on the approach.

All this is why, if the airport ever wants to get beyond 30mppa - 20-30 years away, at best - the only practical option is to (eventually) move the airport to somewhere that gets the flight paths away from houses, whilst selling the current airport land for development. But finding a plot of land for that that doesnt have just as many issues as the current location is not simple (the obvious location having be taken by the new HS2 station!)

 

[thunderchild]

Tell you what, concert the old Terminal into a Spot Joe Lycett tourist attraction and millions would come and visit.

I thought the idea was to stop leakage to other airports!!!

 

[Deleted member 8277]

All this is why, if the airport ever wants to get beyond 30mppa - 20-30 years away, at best - the only practical option is to (eventually) move the airport to somewhere that gets the flight paths away from houses, whilst selling the current airport land for development. But finding a plot of land for that that doesnt have just as many issues as the current location is not simple (the obvious location having be taken by the new HS2 station!)

Didn't they buy the land south of the A45 (castle hill and beyond) for a new runway and car parking whilst they expanded the current site southwards (original master plan), also a ham fisted idea of new runway the other side of the M42 with a long taxiway. So there is room for airport expansion but they currently seem reluctant to finance proper expansion and just cheapish and nastily infill every part possible.
They could almost double the terminal area by building on the premium set down area and then extend aircraft stands on carpark 5 (which was the original plan) buy the NEC carpark (old staff car park) next to the train station and build a big multi story car park.
Build a new airport ! Don't make me laugh, they have lost the appetite to properly invest in the current airport due to costs.