World leading architect Sir Terry Farrell and London Gatwick present an image of London served by a constellation of three major airports

• Sir Terry Farrell – world leading architect – and London Gatwick unveil an image of London served by a constellation of three major airports
• Expansion at London Gatwick will offer the crucial connectivity the UK needs
• True competition between three major London airports, supported by other airports, will drive better connectivity and prices for passengers

2013-07-18 — /travelprnews.com/ — London Gatwick and Sir Terry Farrell today unveil an image of an expanded Gatwick as part of a ‘constellation’ of three major airports surrounding London. It would be deliverable using existing infrastructure, stimulate more competition, and create much less environmental impact than other plans based on a single ‘mega hub’ airport. Gatwick believes this constellation vision is the best solution for passengers, for London and for the UK.

The position of London today, with the largest aviation market in the world, is a direct result of using a number of existing airports in the South East effectively and efficiently – not by having just one single mega hub. Other world cities, including New York, Tokyo, Paris, Beijing, Seoul and Moscow, also operate a multi-airport system and handle greater numbers of passengers than cities relying on a single ‘hub’ airport. Gatwick considers that a mega-hub solution would stifle innovation, reduce competition, and mean higher air fares for passengers.

Global research shows that the larger a city the more likely it is to have both a system of airports than a mega hub and a smaller proportion of transfer passengers.¹

Sir Terry said: “I am delighted to introduce the image of a constellation system of three London airports – keeping Heathrow open, whilst building an additional runway at Gatwick, and then perhaps in time a new runway at Stansted.

“London, both as a world city and a metropolis, is itself the hub and its airport infrastructure needs to both evolve and grow with the city as it changes. I have no doubt that the constellation system of airports brings not only certainty of delivery, but also resilience and flexibility for London’s future.”

Stewart Wingate, Gatwick Airport CEO, said: ”The evidence we have been gathering clearly shows that our country’s aviation capacity issue will be best served by three competitive London airports – Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted – with Gatwick first in line to get the next new runway, making extra capacity more easily deliverable.”

London Gatwick will be submitting its outline long term proposals to the Airports Commission on Friday 19 July, but will not be making them public until Tuesday 23 July when it will meet with local community and business groups at GATCOM, its consultative committee.

The submission will provide details of Gatwick’s preferred location for a second runway, the environmental and noise impacts, how much an expanded Gatwick would contribute to the regional and national economy, and what it can achieve in terms of improved connectivity for the UK.

To learn more about Gatwick’s vision for the future go to: http://bettersolution.gatwickairport.com

Notes to Editors

 

¹

Sir Terry Farrell and his company Farrells have been commissioned by Gatwick Airport to:

• Provide strategic advice on Gatwick’s multi-airport model (the constellation approach) and how it would support the role of London as world city
• Undertake a series of assessments looking at the impact on London of having a system of competing airports of equal size compared to the impacts from having a single, dominant mega hub. This would cover the impact on
  • the experience of passengers and Londoners (i.e. through having a greater range of choice and options)
  • economic growth, and
  • the environmental impacts.

 

About Sir Terry Farrell CBE

Sir Terry Farrell CBE is considered to be the UK’s leading architect planner, with offices in London and Hong Kong. During 40 years in practice he has completed many award winning buildings and Masterplans including Embankment Place and The Home Office Headquarters as well as millennium projects such as The Deep in Hull and Centre for Life in Newcastle. UK Masterplans include Greenwich Peninsula, Paddington Basin and Newcastle Quayside.

In East Asia, notable projects include Incheon airport in Seoul, Beijing Station and Guangzhou Station in China (the largest in the world). In Hong Kong he has designed the Peak Tower, Kowloon Station development and the British Consulate. Throughout his career, he has championed urban planning and helped shape government policy on key issues. As recognition of this, in 2013 he was voted the individual who made the Greatest Contribution to London’s Planning and Development over the last 10 years. In London, he is the Mayor’s Design Advisor and advises the Department for Transport on high speed rail. He is Design Champion for the Thames Gateway, Europe’s largest regeneration project and masterplanner for the transformation of Holborn and Earls Court.

About Farrells

Farrells are considered to be the UKs leading architect planners with offices in London, Hong Kong and Shanghai. For forty years the practice has shaped the debate on urban design and believes passionately in the creation of the civic realm and the vital spaces in between buildings.

In the UK, building schemes include MI6, Embankment Place, the new Home Office HQ and theDeep Aquarium in Hull. Large scale infrastructure planning and buildings dominate their work in East Asia including Incheon Airport in Korea, Beijing and Guangzhou High Speed rail stations in China and the tallest building ever by a British architect in Shenzhen.

Completed masterplans include Newcastle Quayside, Brindley Place in Birmingham and West Kowloon in Hong Kong. Current projects in London include Earls Court, the Embassy Quarter in Nine Elms, Convoys Wharf and Mid Town in Holborn.

Many of Farrells’ projects have won international design awards and the company’s architectural and urban design work is featured in publications worldwide.

 

For more information contact:

 

About Gatwick Airport

Gatwick Airport is the UK’s second largest airport and the busiest single-runway airport in the world. It serves more than 180 destinations in 90 countries for around 34.2 million passengers a year on short- and long-haul point-to-point services. It is also a major economic driver for the South-East region, generating around 23,000 on-airport jobs and a further 13,000 jobs through related activities. The airport is 28 miles south of London with excellent public transport links, including the Gatwick Express. Gatwick Airport is owned by a group of international investment funds, of which Global Infrastructure Partners is the largest shareholder.

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