With the new parking arrangements and bus terminal improvement complete Stansted Airport has started on a ”40m project to extend the airport”s main terminal building. The development will add an extra 5,900m” of floor space to the international arrivals area of the terminal and is due to be open by June 2008, with the project fully completed by December 2008.
Key features of the extension include doubling the size of the Immigration Hall, providing extra space for additional baggage carousels and the creation of a new and improved area for ”meeters and greeters” at international arrivals, with enhanced retail and onward transport facilities.
BAA Stansted business development and planning director Nick Barton said: ”Stansted Airport has very successfully grown its airline route network over recent years, and now serves nearly 24m passengers a year, so this is clearly the right time to bring forward this exciting new project.
”We are committed to providing the best possible airport experience at Stansted, and this significant investment will create additional space and facilities that will benefit both passengers and business partners alike.
BAA points out that the terminal extension will also be a major environmental success. Biomass oilers burning renewable forms of fuel will be used to generate hot water for direct use and heating purposes and they burn fuel that is renewable as it”s in a constant carbon cycle. This initiative will reduce the terminal”s carbon emissions by 1,824,000kg per year, effectively making the extension project carbon neutral.
”The development has been carefully planned with all the various companies and organisations involved to ensure that while the works are taking place any disruption to staff, passengers and the airport”s safe operation is kept to an absolute minimum,” added Barton.