London’s Two Main Airports Outline their Proposed Plans for Expansion

One of the big infrastructure projects that has to be decided in the near future is how to increase capacity at London’s airports. In terms of the UK job market this is good news for Maxim Recruitment; we will be watching the developments carefully over the next twelve months to identify and secure premium UK construction and infrastructure jobs for our registered construction customers.

Twelve months is the crucial timing because whilst both Heathrow and Gatwick Airports have submitted plans for expansion to the Airports Commission, any decision will not be made until after next year’s general election. The Airports Commission led by Sir Howard Davies will consider the creation of UK construction jobs alongside other benefits and impacts.

Golden UK construction job opportunities at Gatwick
Although it is full to capacity at the moment, a third runway at Gatwick and a new terminal would make Gatwick larger than Heathrow.

The cost for these developments would not need any input from the taxpayers which has to make it more viable and would create considerable job opportunities within the UK infrastructure market.

The expansions at Gatwick Airport could be delivered by 2021 by which time Thameslink, a project to connect Gatwick to London and the south east and already well underway, would be up and running before the third runway was built. 

Even more UK construction job prospects at Heathrow
From a global perspective, Heathrow is seen as London’s airport. To expand, it wishes to add a 3,500 metre runway to the north west of the existing airport. The cost would be in the region of £15.6 billion with only £1.2 billion investment from the government. The scheme could be completed by 2025.

To accommodate the third runway, the M25 would be diverted into a new tunnel of 14 lanes which would run under the runway. The government investment would go to part fund changes to the access to Heathrow. £900 million of the investment by Heathrow will also help fund these changes. Heathrow will also set aside around £3.6 billion on ‘community compensation and mitigating environmental impacts’ incurred by the construction of the runway.

Heathrow officials have plans to improve the already good transport links to the airport. They intend to treble rail capacity by 15,000 seats every hour by 2030 which means that more than two thirds of the UK will be within 3 hours of the airport.

If this option gets the commission’s approval there should be plenty of opportunities within the UK construction and infrastructure market place.

There is a second option for Heathrow in which the north runway is extended to 6,000 metres and split in two.

UK construction job prospects are bright
Whichever airport gets the go-ahead, it looks as though there will be plenty of UK infrastructure and construction jobs on the market. Here at Maxim Recruitment, we will keep our ears to the ground – or the runway – to ensure that our portfolio is bursting with the opportunities as they arise. 

Keep in touch with us, talk to one of our consultants about these possibilities and others, so that you don’t miss out on UK construction or UK quantity surveying jobs. You can contact us by phone on 0870 243 0446 or send us your CV via the Maxim Recruitment website.

Adam Cadwaladr
Maxim Recruitment