Heathrow and Gatwick continue to slug it out, in their runway battle. With neither willing to accept reality, both are bigging up their confidence in their imminent expansion, and runway success. Gatwick has now announced it is searching for bidders to carry out £75 million worth of design and planning work in preparation for a 2nd runway. The work is separated into three frameworks: airport planning services (especially for infrastructure associated with the runway); architectural, structural and building services projects, and multi-discipline design and engineering for projects greater than £5 million. Gatwick says the work is part of £2.5 billion worth of transformation spending that it aims to have completed by 2021. Gatwick’s Development Director hopes this will impress the construction industry, and make them eager to get lucrative work. The runway works in total are expected to cost perhaps £9 billion. But Heathrow is apparently close to choosing preferred bidders for its four pre-collaboration packages on its 3rd runway. It is thought the firms include Arup, Atkins, Jacobs and Mace. Recently a number of the UK’s biggest construction firms wrote a letter to chancellor George Osborne urging him to approve a Heathrow runway. Gatwick says the contractors were ”misguided” in writing the letter, as Heathrow’s runway bid is “destined to fail.”
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Gatwick Airport begins search for contractors for £75m planning work
18.2.2016 (BDaily)
Gatwick Airport has today announced it is searching for bidders to carry out £75m worth of design and planning work in preparation for a potential second runway at the airport.
The work is separated into three frameworks: airport planning services; architectural, structural and building services projects, and multi-discipline design and engineering for projects greater than £5m.
In particular, the airport has specified that planning services framework will relate directly to key infrastructure and planning associated with any potential second runway.
The work is part of £2.5bn worth of transformation spending that Gatwick has earmarked and aims to have completed by 2021.
With a government decision due this year on whether Gatwick or Heathrow will get the greenlight for another runway, the works are being utilised to display the airport’s readiness for further expansion.
Raymond Melee, Gatwick Airport’s Development Director said: “The publication of three new frameworks sends a clear message to the industry that Gatwick has a pipeline of major construction work that will satisfy all types of construction industry partners.
“We are investing £2.5 billion to transform our airport and continue to drive growth, while we wait for the green light to start building our second runway.
“With frameworks spanning a five year time-frame, it’s important that potential partners in the runway build are included in these frameworks so that we can keep the process moving forward.
He concluded by further staking Gatwick’s claim to have another runway built at the airport when he added: “Gatwick is the only deliverable option which can satisfy the government’s ambition to have another runway built in the South East by 2025. A second runway at Gatwick will provide greater economic benefits than a third runway at Heathrow at a fraction of the environmental cost.“
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Gatwick Airport’s press release on the frameworks.
Airport wars: Gatwick to tender for design partners as firms line up at Heathrow
The Sussex-based airport today launched a tender to find design and infrastructure partners to assist with the planning of its proposed £9bn runway.
The package will initially be worth up to £5m, but winning bidders will automatically be eligible for a £200m design framework subject to Gatwick getting government approval for a second runway.
The news comes as Heathrow Airport moves closer to choosing preferred bidders for its four pre-collaboration packages on its third runway, launched last October.
Construction News understands that the airport has been in the final stages of talks with a number of firms over the packages.
Atkins and Jacobs declined to comment. Arup and Mace have been contacted for comment.
The Gatwick contract will incorporate critical infrastructure planning associated with the proposed second runway, including the design of the runway itself as well as related infrastructure such as taxiways and hangars.
The second runway framework is the third package of works unveiled by Gatwick today.
The airport also launched two more design frameworks for construction projects unrelated to the second runway over the next five years.
Gatwick frameworks
- Airport planning services (second runway) including capacity assessments, facility requirements, layout plans and simulation modelling.
- Architectural, structural and building services design and engineering for projects less than £5m.
- Multi-discipline design and engineering for projects greater than £5m.
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Gatwick development director Raymond Melee said: “The publication of three new frameworks sends a clear message to the industry that Gatwick has a pipeline of major construction work that will satisfy all types of construction industry partners.
“We are investing £2.5bn to transform our airport and continue to drive growth, while we wait for the green light to start building our second runway. With frameworks spanning a five-year timeframe, it’s important that potential partners in the runway build are included in these frameworks so that we can keep the process moving forward.”
Last week, transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin told a Commons transport committee that he “very much hoped” there would be a decision on airport expansion ahead of parliament’s summer recess in mid-July.
Ahead of this decision, a number of the UK’s biggest construction firms wrote a letter to chancellor George Osborne urging him to approve expansion at Heathrow.
Mr Melee last week responded to the letter, telling Construction News that contractors were ”misguided” in writing the letter, adding that Heathrow’s third runway bid was destined to fail.
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via Airportwatch http://ift.tt/1PJEetQ
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