Masterplan details revealed in latest Press Release
The development project to expand facilities at Durham Tees Valley Airport is to be handed over to a local builder from Darlington as the current recession has had a dramatic effect on Peel Airport’s budgets. The availability of vital corporate funding has all but disappeared due to the reluctance of the financial sector to loan money. The original cost of the planned expansion was put at over £56m, but DTVA Operations Director Kerry Quinn announced today that the project would now be completed for a total cost of £30,000, or ‘a bit less for cash in hand’.
‘We had three quotes submitted from different builders,’ said Ms Quinn, ‘and Mike Davis & Son from Darlington came in with the best price and a guarantee to finish the job in the next six months ‘depending upon other work.’ Davis was reportedly delighted to have been awarded the contract after George Wimpey’s failed to offer any assurances that they could deliver the new terminal and south side development at a vastly reduced price. ‘This project is a bit of a step up for my company,’ admitted Davis, ‘I only own a ten year old Transit van and up until now we’ve done mostly loft conversions, kitchen extensions, that sort of thing. But I’ve got some paving stones and a few solar powered lights left over from a patio job I did, so at least we can use those to make a start on a new parallel taxiway.’
Ms Quinn and her colleagues were said to have been highly impressed by Davis’s artists’ impression of the new terminal building which he drew for them on the back of an old envelope. Asked whether it would still be possible to include the state of the art water feature that had been planned to go outside the new entrance, Davis said ‘the alternative may not now be huge, but on the plus side it would feature a small sculpture of a gnome relaxing on a rock, and a plastic heron searching for goldfish’. Davis also pointed out to Ms Quinn that construction of some of the planned concession outlets may not make it into the new building, but she was apparently more than happy to implement a contingency plan to sell burgers, drinks, magazines, and assorted socks and ties from a market stall in the car park.
Davis continued by saying ‘The company is really me and my son, but we have one or two labourers to call on if we need them, as well as my dad who’s now retired but still likes to keep his hand in. ’Ms Quinn said, ‘To be able to utilise the skills of a local builder provides a real feel good factor because after all, the planned Airport expansion is always promoted as being one of the most high profile developments in the area by both Local Government and business leaders. I have every confidence that Mr Davis will give us a wonderful facility to be proud of. All in all we are really comfortable with the revised plans and look forward to welcoming around 3 million passengers by the end of this year, or maybe 2010 if the plasterboard fails to turn up on time.’