Birmingham International Airport Pier Starts to Take Shape

December 18 2008

The last piece of steel frame for the main building of the International Pier Project was installed at Birmingham Airport today. The building is being constructed to provide the Airport with state-of-the-art facilities to handle increasing demand, and to meet the Airport’s exciting aspirations to improve global connectivity from the Midlands.

The construction of the International Pier, which started in June this year at a cost of £45m, is the single biggest investment the Airport has made in over 20 years, and will replace the current out-dated facility constructed in 1984 on Terminal One. 

The building will provide enhanced air-bridged aircraft parking for seven wide-bodied next generation environmentally-efficient aircraft such as the Airbus A350 or the Boeing 787 ‘Dreamliner’, as well as the larger aircraft types we already see at Birmingham today like the Airbus A330 and Boeing 747 and 777. The flexible parking arrangement can also provide more space for up to 13 short-haul jets at any given time.

Will Heynes, the Airport’s Operations Director, who fixed the last bolt in the final piece of steel frame, said, “Today signifies the completion of the main steel structure and we can really see the Pier taking shape. This building will play an important part in our strategy for long-haul carriers and will help us meet our aspirations to provide world-wide services from the Midlands. It will be an essential piece of Airport infrastructure should we get final approval for our runway extension in the New Year.”

Construction of the three storey building which is 240 metres long and 24 metres wide, is being carried out by Laing O’Rourke Construction Limited. Colin Potts, the Project Leader for Laing O’Rourke, “We are delighted to be undertaking the construction of the New International Pier and to continue our long standing association with Birmingham Airport which  began nearly 30 years ago.”

Passengers will depart from the lounge on the top floor of the building. On the second floor arriving passengers will be speedily channelled through to Immigration and Customs facilities. The second floor will also provide space for a new Executive Lounge for Emirates Airlines.  Meanwhile, the ground floor will also provide office accommodation for airline and handling agents.

The Pier will also provide vertical segregation to separate inbound and outbound passenger traffic, in line with national security requirements.  New gate lounges for passengers will also be created.

The building has been designed to encompass the latest building regulations and meets the latest environmental standards and performances for buildings of this type. The project team have established a collaborative working environment to plan the works in detail using process mapping, 3D modelling and well monitored performance measures to ensure that all the stakeholders deliver on programme.

The Project Manager on the construction is Mace Limited, the Architect is Pascall & Watson, and the Structural, Civil and Fire Engineering is by Buro Happold. Mechanical and Electrical design is by Hulley and Kirkwood, the CDM Coordinator is Mace Sustain and the Cost Management Consultant is Faithful and Gould.

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