Plans to overhaul Belfast City Airport and grow its capacity with a multi-million-pound investment in facilities and infrastructure are moving ahead, with the first part of a planning application now submitted.
According to an airport press release, the Proposal of Application Notices (PANs) put forward to Belfast City and Borough councillors cover the expansion of passenger amenities, new airfield infrastructure, a forecourt, additional parking, and a hotel, plus improved access. The latter includes a pedestrian link to a future airport rail station in partnership with Translink that would make Belfast City Airport the first airport on the island of Ireland to boast its own rail connection.
The proposed works are estimated to represent a £200 million (over €233 million) private investment and fall under the airport’s Master Plan 2040, which aims to cater to increasing demand and passenger numbers. The vision sees the airport handling up to seven million passengers per year, compared to just 2.36 million today.
Aviation experts predict that air travel demand to and from the island of Ireland will double in the next 15 years. Altogether, Northern Ireland’s airports will need to accommodate up to 21 million passengers a year if those predictions are correct.
If it is given the green light, the Master Plan 2040 could create 1,100 jobs, doubling the airport’s employee roster. Wider benefits touted by the plan’s supporters include the generation of up to £1.7 billion (€1.98 billion) in annual economic contribution to the regional economy and support for over 23,000 jobs across Northern Ireland.
An important part of the equation is a request to raise the airport’s cap on yearly flight movements, from 48,000 to 61,000. The Belfast hub has applied to lawmakers in the Northern Ireland Assembly for permission to extend its flight operation time by an extra 60 minutes daily. This would allow it to schedule flights for 16 hours per day, with services going on until 10:30 pm. At present, a ‘no-fly’ policy is in effect from midnight until 6:30 am. Officials say the plans should not affect that night flight rule.
Belfast City network is mostly UK-based, with some flights to European destinations such as the Dutch capital and the Balearic Islands, but that looks set to change. Matthew Hall, the airport’s CEO, said the upgrade process has the “potential to deliver significant economic benefits, accelerate our sustainability ambition, attract further private investment, and strengthen Northern Ireland’s links with key destinations across the UK and beyond.”
In addition to the planning process, a public consultation will take place, giving the local community a voice in the airport’s development.
