Stansted unveils plan for new dedicated arrivals hall

Stansted Airport says the new £130 million building will ‘significantly improve the passenger experience’.

The dedicated arrivals hall is the latest phase in the multi-million pound transformation programme by owners MAG to support future growth at the airport and attract new passengers and airlines.

Stansted is currently the UK’s busiest single terminal airport, handling up to 5,000 departing passengers an hour at peak times.

"With passenger numbers expected to increase over the next decade, particularly with runway capacity constraints at other London airports, Stansted is submitting a planning application for a new arrivals building designed to deliver new facilities to enhance the overall passenger and airline experience," it said in a statement.

It said the plan would enable the airport to handle around 43 million passengers a year, up from 24 million this year.

The proposed 34,000m2 building spans three levels and would be delivered inside the existing footprint of the airport, and located adjacent to the current terminal and the Radisson Blu Hotel.~

It includes a larger immigration and baggage reclaim area, new retail facilities and a public forecourt.

The current terminal building will be reconfigured and dedicated entirely to departing passengers, creating more space at check-in, security and within the international departures lounge.

The bespoke arrivals building allows the airport to minimise operational disruption during construction and will incorporate the latest sustainable technologies, said the airport.

The design complements the existing terminal’s unique architecture, created by Lord Norman Foster over 25 years ago, it added.

Subject to the relevant planning consents and approvals, it is expected the arrivals building will take up to three years to complete with other improvements to the existing terminal due to be finished by 2022.

CEO Andrew Cowan said: "The planning application and concept design for the new £130 million arrivals building marks the latest phase in Stansted’s transformation and enables us to support further growth over the next decade and give our passengers the facilities that they want.

"Since MAG acquired the airport in early 2013, we have turned Stansted into one of the UK’s fastest growing airports.~ It has always been our vision to invest in its infrastructure to create the best experience for our growing number of passengers and airline customers and have already invested over £150 million to update our terminal and satellite facilities, created 1,000 more jobs, added over 40 new destinations and increased passenger numbers by nearly seven million.

"Stansted is thriving as a national asset, forming a key component of the UK’s aviation infrastructure at a time when airport capacity in the country is at a premium. Our investment will boost competition and enable the airport to play a bigger role in supporting economic growth, jobs and international connectivity across the East of England and London.

"Subject to planning consent, the next stage will be to develop our concept designs in conjunction with our stakeholders and business partners ahead of awarding any contracts for the construction works."