ORAC
13th Oct 2002, 16:56
The Sunday Times - October 13, 2002
'Hidden' plans for two new terminals at Heathrow
PROPOSALS to build two new terminals at Heathrow are being considered as part of plans to increase the airport’s capacity, government documents have revealed, writes Jonathon Carr-Brown.
The terminals would be in addition to the planned terminal 5, which was given the go-ahead last year after a four-year planning inquiry.
Local residents accuse the transport department of trying to conceal plans for the new building work. The plans do not appear on the government website or in public consultation documents outlining proposals to build a new runway at the airport, released in July.
The new documents — buried in an obscure appendix of a separate report — show plans are advanced to create two more terminals, including one for transit passengers...........
Heathrow campaigners became suspicious two weeks ago when Mike Hodgkinson, the chief executive of BAA, which runs Britain’s main airports, told residents’ meetings that “additional facilities” would be needed if a third runway was built. The campaigners say that, when pressed, Hodgkinson said a sixth terminal would be required and referred to the government’s consultation process.
Despite searches, the only reference found in the main transport department consultation document was a paragraph talking about extra terminal capacity being provided by “reconfiguring” terminals 1, 2 and 3 and space to the south of the airport.
Further investigations led to the discovery of maps and diagrams produced by Halcrow, the government’s consultants. These show that a new runway would lead to the £1.6 billion redevelopment of terminals 1, 2 and 3, the doubling in size of terminal 4 to create a new terminal, and the building of another new one for transit passengers. The estimated cost would be £550m...........
A BAA spokesman said: “If a third runway was built it would require additional facilities.” Asked whether that meant a sixth terminal, he said: “That question is part of our considerations but we have never used the term ‘sixth terminal’.”
The transport department said: “If Heathrow is given permission to build a new runway it will be up to them to come up with detailed plans.”......
'Hidden' plans for two new terminals at Heathrow
PROPOSALS to build two new terminals at Heathrow are being considered as part of plans to increase the airport’s capacity, government documents have revealed, writes Jonathon Carr-Brown.
The terminals would be in addition to the planned terminal 5, which was given the go-ahead last year after a four-year planning inquiry.
Local residents accuse the transport department of trying to conceal plans for the new building work. The plans do not appear on the government website or in public consultation documents outlining proposals to build a new runway at the airport, released in July.
The new documents — buried in an obscure appendix of a separate report — show plans are advanced to create two more terminals, including one for transit passengers...........
Heathrow campaigners became suspicious two weeks ago when Mike Hodgkinson, the chief executive of BAA, which runs Britain’s main airports, told residents’ meetings that “additional facilities” would be needed if a third runway was built. The campaigners say that, when pressed, Hodgkinson said a sixth terminal would be required and referred to the government’s consultation process.
Despite searches, the only reference found in the main transport department consultation document was a paragraph talking about extra terminal capacity being provided by “reconfiguring” terminals 1, 2 and 3 and space to the south of the airport.
Further investigations led to the discovery of maps and diagrams produced by Halcrow, the government’s consultants. These show that a new runway would lead to the £1.6 billion redevelopment of terminals 1, 2 and 3, the doubling in size of terminal 4 to create a new terminal, and the building of another new one for transit passengers. The estimated cost would be £550m...........
A BAA spokesman said: “If a third runway was built it would require additional facilities.” Asked whether that meant a sixth terminal, he said: “That question is part of our considerations but we have never used the term ‘sixth terminal’.”
The transport department said: “If Heathrow is given permission to build a new runway it will be up to them to come up with detailed plans.”......