ON TOUR: Heathrow Terminal 6
Next Thursday Alistair Darling, secretary of state for transport (and for Scotland too), is to ”top out” Heathrow”s Terminal 5. Mike Clasper, BAA chairman no doubt will remind him that Europe”s largest current building programme is on time and on budget with the facility due to be officially available from 0400 Sunday 30 March 2008. Our artists impression shows how it should look when finally completed in 2012.
These are busy times for BAA. The recent publication of the Heathrow Airport interim master plan is now in the public domain and written comment for consideration must be made by 31 October 2005. It is a fascinating and detailed document. Essentially, and for the first time, it details the expansion of the proposed new commuter runway and its supporting area known as Terminal 6 is shown. Early next year BAA will publish what it hopes is the final project scheme and an indicative timetable for the post 2012 era.
The economic case for an additional runway is persuasive. The government calculates that the proposal for a third runway at Heathrow would generate over ”6bn in direct net economic benefits ” the 2003 ”Future of Air Transport” White Paper, reinforces the view that Heathrow is much more than ”just an airport” for London, recognising that it delivers significant direct/indirect benefits to local and national economies and, at the same time, the government recognises that ”these strong economic arguments must be weighed against serious environmental disadvantages”. The White Paper sets out stringent air quality targets which have to be met before the government can support any proposals for a third runway.
Heathrow was conceived during the Second World War, when it became apparent that the existing main London commercial airport, Croydon, would not suffice, for the larger aircraft already in service and on the drawing board. A site west of London, known as Heath Row, was chosen for the new development. The original planners must in retrospect be considered brilliant, as the resulting international airport, now the world”s largest, has generated a massive effect, responsible for a series of whole new communities; the results seen as far as Swindon, where typically Honda chose to build their new car plant. The original planners also foresaw the future and amazingly, the new proposed site for Terminal 6 is in exactly the same position as suggested for a series of commuter runways in the original master plan. Bath Road in its present form, did not exist, London”s main artery being the Great Southwest Road and the London Road down towards Feltham. The area south of Hayes, was mainly rural and farmland.
Heathrow is still Europe's and the world”s dominant international airport hub, although with the continuing introduction of very long-range aircraft, this position is likely to be eroded in terms of it being a technical halt between India, Asia and North America. There are still more flights per week to New York than the combined Amsterdam, Charles de Gaulle and Frankfurt operations. For every major international destination, it still leads its European rivals with ease. However, in terms of transfer passengers, Frankfurt has been in front for some years and continues to do so. This might change with the opening of Terminal 5 but much will depend on whether British Airways returns to South America and other points stopped within the last decade and its continued attitude of using smaller aircraft, not just in terms of the Airbus A380 but also a decision to downsize from the Boeing 757 to the Airbus 320 series. The BAA view is whilst the airport will grow to 80m passengers plus by 2015, the transfer number will remain fairly static at around 22/23m.
The T6 project, is in fact four basic schemes, all designed around the concept of a 2,000 metre runway, parallel to the existing 09/27 (L-R), and sited just to the south of the existing Holiday Inn. Plan ”A” calls for satellite but no terminal (clearly the cheapest option), plans ”B” and ”C” alternatives but with limited terminal facilities and layout ”D” (left) envisages a terminal with all the necessary road and rail infrastructure. All four systems require a new connection between Junctions 3 and 4 of the M4. The master plan includes a substantial new people mover tramway type operation, linking through the central area Terminals 4, 5 and 6. From Terminal 5, an already considered rail link would go west joining the main southwest rail system at Staines. A link to the London ” Bristol train line is not planned, although a connection is possible by linking in the existing Heathrow Express Connect line. Most of the parking, hotel, office and industrial area will remain but the plan does include the loss of 700 properties including the entire village of Sipson and also part of Harmondsworth.
BAA has voluntarily published two land purchase schemes enabling the airport company to purchase both land within the expanded boundary of the proposed three-runway airport, and just outside, blighted areas, once it goes for planning permission. From 3 October home and commercial property owners, as noted on the schemes, can register with BAA, who will issue bonds guaranteeing values based on notional June 2002 figures index linked to values generated elsewhere. This scheme, which BAA very clearly notes was not required of them in law, hopefully will take much of the worry from residents rightly concerned of their future. There is also a home relocation assistance format for people living within a certain noise band of the airport and a community buildings noise insulation offering for what in effect is a larger area.
Such a major project will undoubtedly upset a few but BAA is confident that it has achieved a breakthrough in putting together a package which will reduce/eliminate the stress that such a massive undertaking generates. In her introduction to the master plan Janis Kong, executive chairman BAA Heathrow, emphasises the importance of the airport as the world”s international hub and one of the UK”s most important economic assets. ”I want to ensure that Heathrow maintains its competitive position by planning for the future in an effective, sustainable and responsible manner.”
http://www.baa.com
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_aviation/documents/divisionhomepage/029650.hcsp