Increasing aircraft movements have prompted Manchester Airport to tender for a new control tower.
The North West England gateway currently handles around 28m passengers per year, but this is projected to rise to some 50m by 2030, prompting an overview of airport infrastructure.
”The control tower will have a much better view on the airfield,” said a Manchester Airport spokeswoman, adding: ”as at the moment our tower is on top of an office building.”
The new structure will be built on the airfield itself to allow improved supervision of Manchester”s two runways and is expected to be more than 50m (164ft) ” making it the tallest building on the site.
”The current control tower has served the airport well since it was built more than 45 years ago,” said Manchester Airport director of operations, Andrew Holl.
”However, we do need to build a new tower with the latest technology and closer to both our runways, to cope with increased flights in and out of Manchester. This is the start of a process to find the right design and experts to do that for us.”
Preparations are also starting for work on a third railway station platform to open next year and catering for the 350 trains that use the airport every day.
Architects from North West England, the UK and EU, have been invited through the Official Journal of the European Union to show expressions of interest in the control tower, with a project team from Manchester narrowing down applicants.
The new tower is slated for a 2009 opening.