Jet enclave at London Biggin Hill Airport to go ahead
Private aviation group Air Partner has been given the go-ahead for its 175,000 sq ft (16,250 sq m) £7m private jet enclave at Biggin Hill Airport, near London.
Construction will begin this spring and is due to be completed by late 2009. The site - accessed via a secure approach road ” will compromise ground floor VIP aircraft handling, linked to a mezzanine flight operations centre, office suites for associated airport-related businesses, and further areas dedicated to private jet maintenance operations.
A high-tech hangar will accommodate a mix of more than 20 jets, up to and including the Boeing Business Jet.
”With our private jet airports straining at the seams and turning away existing business, we have decided to consolidate our plans at Biggin Hill and build one state-of-the-art site,” said Air Partner chief executive, David Savile.
Biggin Hill is the only airport within the M25 dedicated to private jets and is 17 miles south of the city of London by road. It is the capital”s last remaining non-slot regulated airport, which Air Partner therefore believes it can offer clients greater travel flexibility. Additionally, the runway operates less than 15% capacity of permitted private jet movements.
The company points out that Farnborough ” 42 miles from the City ” is limited to 28,000 flights per year, while at Biggin Hill 125,000 are permitted. And private jet movements increased by 30% at Biggin last year, nearly double the growth at Farnborough which is currently at 76% capacity midweek for private jet operations, and full at weekends.
Savile added, ”Biggin Hill”s location and capacity combined with Air Partner”s managed fleet and client base will enable us to develop a premier private jet base that fulfils all of our client”s needs, and attracts new corporate users to the facility.”