Contractor named for London Gatwick extension

Mace has been awarded the contract to deliver London Gatwick airport’s £140 million extension to its mid-airfield pier (Pier 6).

When complete in 2027, eight new aircraft gates adjacent to the airport’s runways will enable seven and a half million passengers to alight and depart directly onto aircraft each year.

These new gates will also remove the need to coach over 500,000 passengers to remote stands, saving 12,000 bus journeys a year.

Minimising the airport’s environmental footprint is a key priority for London Gatwick, and an innovative approach to design and construction has put the project on track to achieve BREEAM ratings of “Excellent” (Overall) and “Outstanding” (Energy and water).

Design revisions have seen the width of the building reduced, while the relocation of a service road has facilitated a two-storey building, rather than three.

It is said that these changes, which also include moving to a hybrid steel and timber frame structure and re-designing ventilation systems to use less ductwork and plant, will deliver an approximate 40% saving in embodied carbon.

Changing finishes will deliver a further 20% saving.

Cedric Laurier, Chief Technical Officer, London Gatwick said: “This build is complex as it’s right in the heart of our airfield, but we’re experienced in delivering major projects in challenging environments at London Gatwick. The partnership and experience from Mace will be invaluable. Our teams are already working side-by-side to deliver what we think is a cutting-edge design for an airport building in terms of embodied carbon savings.

“Once complete, more than seven million passengers will have a seamless airport experience, and our airlines will benefit from improved airfield efficiency as the extended pier is located conveniently beside the airport’s runway.”