£1bn airport expansion gets underway

The £1bn investment programme to double the size of Manchester Airport’s Terminal 2 has started.

The 10-year programme, the largest private investment in the region, is intended to provide better and more international connections whilst supporting economic growth across the North.

It estimates that MAN-TP will create more than 1,500 jobs in the construction phase alone, nearly 200 of which will be apprentices.

The works will see Terminal Two double in size as Terminal One is phased out by 2022, before being demolished.

The changes are expected to result in the doubling of airport jobs to 40,000 within 30 years – adding 10 million annual passengers in the next decade.

The airport is currently targeting expanding its route network into North America, the Gulf, Asia, Africa and Latin America, it said.

Charlie Cornish, chief executive of Manchester Airports Group (MAG), said: “Today marks a significant moment in the history of Manchester Airport and demonstrates the confidence that we have in the long term future of both the North and the UK economy.

“This is the largest private investment that has been made in the region for some time and the increased connectivity that it will deliver will enable it to become one of the most accessible and productive regions in Europe.”

Manchester Airport, Christian Spence, Head of Research & Policy at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, said: “The transformed customer experience this investment will deliver sets Manchester Airport ready to play an even greater role in our international infrastructure which, combined with other infrastructure investments planned across the North of England will increase the opportunities for the region to grow its economy over the coming years and decades.”

The Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Grayling MP, is also visiting the airport as the government begins consulting on its Aviation Strategy for proposals on how best use can be made of existing runway capacity at airports like Manchester.

He said: “Aviation is central to our future prosperity as we leave the European Union. As a global, trading nation we want to build on the great industry we have today and create opportunities for people up and down the country.

“Our new aviation strategy will look beyond the new runway at Heathrow and sets out a comprehensive long-term plan for UK aviation. It will support jobs and economic growth across the whole of the UK.”