Department for Business and Trade
April 2024
Airport operations have been heavily impacted by Covid-19. With the re-opening of Australia borders travel is rapidly returning to pre pandemic levels. Some short-term projects have recommenced for commercially owned airports, whereas, government funded airports, such as Nancy Bird Walton are proceeding at pace.
Nancy Bird Walton Airport
The $10 billion Nancy Bird Walton Airport will be developed in stages by the Federal Government-owned Western Sydney Airport Corporation (WSA Co.) in response to increasing passenger demand. The first stage, due to open in 2026, will see a single runway airport constructed with capacity for up to 10 million passengers a year. Works will be tendered through a series of separate procurements; Bulk Earthworks, Airside Civil and Pavements; Landside Civil & Buildings, and Terminal and Specialty Works. In September 2019, the CPB Contractors and Lendlease joint venture was awarded the bulk earthworks. In October 2019 Cox Architecture and Zaha Hadid Architects were awarded the architectural design of the terminal building. June 2020, Multiplex Constructions were awarded the construction component. In March 2021, the contract for the baggage handling system was awarded to Vanderlande. In September 2021 the design and construct contract for the Airside Civil and Pavement Works package was awarded to a CPB Contractors and ACCIONA joint venture. In December 2021, the Landside and Civil Building Works were awarded to the Aerowest Joint Venture, a joint venture between BMD Constructions Pty Ltd and Seymour Whyte Constructions Pty Ltd. Bechtel is the delivery partner providing project management, planning, design development and construction management services for the overall project.
Melbourne Airport
Melbourne Airport is proposing the construction of a third runway. The runway will be three kilometres metres long, in a north-south alignment, parallel to the existing north-south runway. The proposed runway will be capable of handling all aircraft types. In June 2022, Beca, Arup and Airbiz were appointed to manage the design.
Brisbane Airport
Brisbane Airport’s $11 billion third runway opened in July 2020. Privately funded the project is the largest in the history of Brisbane Airport since its opening in 1988. Construction was undertaken by Skyway, a joint venture between BMD Construction Pty Ltd and CPB Contractors Pty Limited, a member of the CIMIC Group.
Perth Airport
Perth Airport will deliver a third runway before the end of the decade (subject to demand). The third runway is proposed to be 3,000 metres long and 45 metres wide and run parallel to the existing main runway. In July 2019, Perth Airport released the preliminary draft of its Master Plan 2020. The third runway is a key element of the airport's development plans and forms part of the $2.5 billion investments for the airport over the coming decade. The runway will support the Perth Airport’s forecast growth and consolidation plans to bring its terminals into an 'Airport Central Precinct'. In Nov 2020, Perth Airport's Major Development Plan received Federal Government Approval.
[Ref: Australia and New Zealand Airport Infrastructure Outlook - DBT - Apr 2024]
