Belfast City Airport opens consultation on £200m Master Plan investment
Belfast City Airport is to begin a public consultation on proposals for up to £200m of private investment in new terminal, airfield and surface access infrastructure as part of its Master Plan 2040.
image: Belfast City Airport
The consultation, which runs from 29 September to 27 October, follows the submission of Proposal of Application Notices to Belfast City Council and Ards and North Down Borough Council. Feedback will be used to inform potential planning applications for the proposed development.
The draft proposals include extensions to passenger facilities, new aircraft stands, aprons and taxiways, improved vehicle access and parking, and a new multimodal forecourt incorporating improved public transport facilities. The plans also include complementary development such as a hotel and safeguard space for a potential pedestrian connection to a future rail halt.
The airport's stated objective is to increase annual passenger capacity to seven million by 2040. It currently handles around 2.5m passengers a year, according to analysis cited by the airport. The Master Plan estimates that the investment could contribute £1.7bn annually to the Northern Ireland economy and support more than 23,000 jobs by 2040.
Matthew Hall, chief executive of Belfast City Airport, said the consultation was an important step in developing the airport's longer-term plans.
“These draft infrastructure proposals have been designed to support the airport’s growth in a way that is balanced and mindful of our surroundings and, importantly, do not include any extension to the existing runway.”
Alongside the infrastructure proposals, the airport is consulting on proposed changes to its existing Planning Agreement, which is governed by the Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure. These include extending the period for scheduled operations from 15 to 16 hours a day, allowing scheduled movements until 22:30, while retaining the existing scheduled no-fly period between 00:00 and 06:29.
The airport is also proposing to increase the annual aircraft movement limit from 48,000 to 61,000. It says the additional movements would remain within the existing noise contour and environmental controls. Any changes to the Planning Agreement would be considered separately by the Department for Infrastructure.
Hall said the proposed operational changes would provide additional capacity for airline schedules and future route development.
“Extended operating hours and increased annual traffic movement limits are critical for Belfast City Airport to be able to meet the forecast increase in demand for air travel and enable it to unlock the associated benefits, including increased connectivity to the UK and Europe.”
Surface access is a further element of the proposals. The airport is working with Translink to explore the potential for a rail halt directly serving the airport, building on a memorandum of understanding between the two organisations. The current proposals safeguard the opportunity for a pedestrian connection to such a station but do not themselves commit to its construction.
The airport says it intends to increase public transport provision and manage parking as part of efforts to reduce the proportion of passengers and staff travelling by private car. The proposed infrastructure would also include additional electric vehicle charging facilities.
The consultation follows an earlier eight-week engagement exercise on the draft Master Plan in 2025. Belfast City Airport said feedback from that process was considered in developing the current proposals.
The latest consultation will include public information events, written submissions and an online consultation. Any subsequent planning applications and proposed changes to the airport's operating controls will be subject to the relevant planning and regulatory processes.