Airport expansion plans delayed
19.09.08
Edinburgh Airport has revised its expansion plans, which will delay the planned relocation of its neighbour, The Royal Highland Showground, until after 2020. BAA said it had been forced to change its plans in light of rising costs of relocating the showground. However, the Royal Highland Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) accused BAA of cherry picking what and when to buy, to avoid paying the full cost of its relocation.
The airport's expansion plans do not include building another runway and are being put in place to cater for a predicted increase in passenger numbers, with forecasts that the current passenger numbers of 9.1m will rise to 12.7m by 2013 and to 17.6m by 2020.
The expansion plans require 25.5 hectares of additional land. This would be outside the airport's current boundary and would see it swallow up the showground plus an airport hotel. The showground was originally due to have relocated by 2013, and the hotel be demolished at that time.
However, following projections from the RHASS that it would cost £350m to relocate the Showground, which would result in a significant extra cost to airlines operating from the airport, BAA says that it has been forced to develop its alternative plans.
Gordon Dewar, managing director of Edinburgh Airport, said: ‘We remain committed to long-term sustainable development of the airport and are continuing our ambitious £265m capital investment plan to both expand and improve facilities. Our new plans provide a more cost-effective future for the airport and remain in line with UK air transport policy.’
However, Ray Jones, chief executive of the RHASS, said: ‘To be told 2 years after a BAA masterplan was released that it has changed its mind and that there are to be delays doesn't seem fair or reasonable. BAA still says it wants our land in the future, but they want to cherry pick what and when they buy, over a longer period of time, and avoid paying for the full relocation of the showground.'
‘This leaves the society and Scotland's national showground with no business certainty, no ability to plan properly for the future and puts in jeopardy the opportunity to relocate to an appropriate site at Norton Park. We do not believe it is fair that any company should have this level of power over another commercial entity.’
Add to: del.icio.us | Digg it | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit
To book hotels edinburgh airport or parking edinburgh airport at the lowest price, click on these links to two great edinburgh airport car parking and edinburgh airport hotel price comparison pages.
