Plans to create a £2bn international airport at Newport, South Wales, were handed to the government today.
The ambitious scheme for a new Severnside International Airport is earmarked for a site to be vacated following the slim down of the giant Llanwern steelworks.
The case for Severnside, compiled by HOK International Architects and Airport Planners, was delivered to transport secretary Alistair Darling.
The airport failed to be included in an earlier government green paper on air transport, but the consultation period for the legislation has been extended in recent weeks.
Severnside chairman Michael Stephen said: “The government’s consultation period was extended because the High Court decided that their green paper had failed adequately to consult on all available options.
“Severnside is not intended as a fourth London Airport.
“Instead, it will serve many of the passengers who now have to travel to London to catch an international flight, adding to the strain on the capital’s roads, railways and crowded airports.”
He said Severnside could be open by 2012, and could handle 30m passengers pa with one runway, making it unnecessary for the government to implement one or more of the options which have aroused public opposition, including airports at Cliffe or Rugby.
“Cardiff and Bristol airports can handle the local demand, but neither of them are well located and neither can connect directly with a motorway or main line railway.
“Severnside will be an intercontinental airport, doing for Southern and Western England and South Wales what Manchester Airport does for Northern England and North Wales.”
The scheme is supported by Newport council and advisers include Franlin & Andrews quantity surveyors, ANZ Bank, Oce Arup Consulting Engineers, King Sturge and Squire Sanders & Dempsey solicitors.
EGi News 13/01/03
