Belfast International Airport in Northern Ireland has opened its £25m ($33.2m) new terminal extension, a milestone in the first phase of its £100m five-year investment programme.
Mott MacDonald, an engineering, management, and development consultancy, spearheaded the design of the two-storey terminal extension.
This development introduces a security hall, a 1,600m² duty-free store, and a redesigned external forecourt, all intended to improve the facilities at the hub.
The project required replacing the existing eight-lane security hall with a new security screening area. The upgrade was necessary to comply with the UK Department of Transport’s mandate for C3 cabin baggage scanners and full-body scanners.
The overall development spanned over 7,400m², including more than 2,000m² of internal refurbishment within the existing terminal.
This refurbishment created new commercial units, car hire desks, staff offices, and accommodation, as well as a walk-through duty-free area within the current security hall.
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By GlobalDataAdditionally, the project encompassed external public realm enhancements, featuring a new entrance, taxi rank, coach parking, and a redesigned service yard.
Mott MacDonald’s role in the project included project management services.
Its architecture team served as the lead design consultant while its multidisciplinary team covered structural, civil, and geotechnical engineering, among other services.
Additionally, the team engaged in sustainability and Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method consulting, as well as life cycle assessment and embodied carbon detailing.
Mott MacDonald Belfast office lead Derek Burnside said: “We have brought our decades of experience in [the] delivery of critical airport infrastructure to bear on this project, ensuring Belfast International Airport is fit for the future.
“We have also designed the extension using standardised components and materials that will be adopted in all future projects, which over time will unify the overall aesthetic of the airport.”
Belfast International Airport CEO Dan Owens added: “When we started this process around two years ago, we were focused on our goal to transform the passenger experience at Belfast International Airport. Today we can say we have made significant progress in achieving that goal.
“As the economic driver for this region in terms of economic development and tourism growth we are committed to further enhancing the passenger experience while also working with our airline partners to develop our network of routes.”
In November 2024, England’s West Yorkshire Combined Authority selected a consortium of Jacobs and Mott MacDonald as the Design Development Partner for the forthcoming phase of the West Yorkshire Mass Transit Programme.
