London Luton Airport awards first major redevelopment contract

Security area also expanded and new scanning technology added as £100m development gathers pace

London Luton Airport (LLA) has appointed Whitemountain to deliver the first phase of the airport’s £100 million redevelopment project.

Whitemountain, part of the Lagan group, will manage the construction and civil engineering of landside infrastructure and transport facilities. This will see the existing approach road to the terminal building turned into a dual carriageway, the redevelopment of the short stay car parks and on-airport road network, the remodelling of the set-down area and the repositioning of the coach terminal. Whitemountain has already begun work on the site.

The £100 million investment in LLA is set to transform the airport by increasing capacity from 12 million to 18 million passengers per year by 2026. As well as increased capacity, the work will deliver significant improvements to the passenger experience. The first example of this is a newly created security search area located on the ground floor which went live on 8th September. The new area is equipped with the latest scanning and tray return systems designed to improve the speed and ease that passengers can clear security.

Further major improvements include:

• Improved rail services: Overnight rail services from Luton Airport Parkway will begin before the end of 2015, making rail a viable transport option for 2-3 million more passengers per year. In addition Oyster Card services through to the terminal building are due to be introduced in the coming months
• Better road access: Major improvements to Junction 10a of the M1 have recently been completed in conjunction with the Highways Agency and Luton Borough Council.
• Retail and dining: Work is underway to double the existing retail space, introducing exciting shopping and dining options and creating a new world-class executive lounge.

Nick Barton, CEO of LLA, said: “The appointment of Whitemountain shows we’re making good progress on the development. The relocation of the security search area will make a positive difference to passengers. We’ve increased the size of this facility and introduced the latest technology which will allow us to speed up the screening procedures and minimising waiting times.”

John Donaghy, Commercial Manager, Whitemountain, said: “The development happening at London Luton is really exciting. There is a big ambition to transform the airport and we’re very happy to be delivering works on landside infrastructure and transport facilities.”