Major milestone met on Manchester Airport’s £1.3bn Transformation Programme

Manchester Airport and its Delivery Partner, Mace, have marked the start of major upgrade and enhancement works to Terminal 2 as part of the final phase of a £1.3bn transformation programme.

Ushered in at a ground-breaking ceremony on Monday, the next phase of works will see the creation of a brand-new pier that will provide 12 new boarding gates and flexible aircraft stands for next-generation aircraft.

The pier forms a significant element of the second and final phase of the airport’s £1.3bn Transformation Programme (MAN-TP) which, when outlined in 2015, set a 10-year vision to revolutionise the passenger experience at the UK’s global gateway in the north.

The first phase saw a programme of works to more than double the size of Terminal 2. The £440m second phase will see the original building enhanced with a second security hall and extended departure lounge, along with reconfigurations of the airfield to make operations more efficient. Upon opening in 2025, around 80% of all airport passengers will use the expanded Terminal 2.

With an ambitious construction deadline, Mace is placing emphasis on driving an optimised programme. A construction management procurement approach, breaking down the design and delivery packages into overlapping phases and leverages a range of skilled contractors, is one method that is helping to achieve this.

Modern methods of construction (MMC) and industry innovations are also helping to speed up delivery, with the added benefits of supporting Manchester Airport’s commitment to be net zero carbon by 2038 and minimising impact on the airport’s operations – which must continue as normal throughout.

Core components of the new pier will be prefabricated off-site to minimise construction requirements at the airport. By standardising design and utilising sub-assembly methods the team will achieve time savings and, therefore, reduce operational impact in what is already a highly constrained environment. This ‘kit of parts’ approach also benefits health, safety and wellbeing by reducing working hours in the live airfield, and ensures consistency of quality due to the controlled conditions in which the components are produced. From a sustainability perspective, the innovation will see a 43% reduction in the tonnage of embodied carbon compared to traditional methods of construction.

The project will also use an innovative piling technique that will decrease the amount of excavation needed and reduce concrete quantities to achieve a 40% reduction in embodied carbon compared to rotary bored piles. The pre-cast piles and reduced excavation will also bring down vehicle movements to and from the site, with associated environmental benefits and a reduction of the impact to the live airfield. 

MAG Deputy CEO Ken O’Toole said:

“We are pleased to be beginning work on what is a major milestone in our transformation of Manchester Airport.

“Our £1.3bn transformation programme is the largest investment ever made in Manchester Airport, and will create thousands of jobs, revolutionise the customer experience and ensure we connect to the North to even more global destinations in the years ahead.

“We are already seeing the benefits of the first phase of our investment, with passengers and airlines providing excellent feedback on our extended Terminal 2. Through this second phase, we will deliver yet more improvements to the passenger experience and cater for the growing network of airlines operating from Manchester.

“As we break ground on this pier, I look forward to seeing the project progress to its conclusion in 2025, cementing Manchester’s role as the UK’s global gateway in the North.”

Carl Dainter, Head of Global Aviation for Mace Consult, said:

“This exciting next phase of Manchester Airport’s transformation is giving us the opportunity to implement ideas, methodologies and solutions that will allow us to speed up delivery, reduce carbon and, crucially, minimise impact to the live airfield operations.

“This is only possible due to the collaborative and integrated relationship with have with the client and supply chain. By working as one team with shared values and objectives, we’re making excellent progress towards our 2025 open-to-passengers target.”

Aviation Minister Baroness Vere said:

“The UK is renowned for its cutting-edge technology, and with Manchester Airport’s new pier set to cut emissions by 40%, it will lead the way in creating a sustainable sector and will accelerate our progress towards net zero.

“The development of the pier showcases the aviation sector's significant role in driving economic growth, creating jobs and boosting the local economy.

“This is a significant milestone for the aviation industry, and we look forward to seeing Manchester Airport set new standards for the rest of the industry to follow.”