Farrans begins £30m terminal extension project at Bristol Airport

Construction has started on a £30m terminal extension at Bristol Airport after the airport awarded the building contract to Belfast based engineering contractor Farrans Construction as part of a wider infrastructure investment programme.

image: Farrans

The project will deliver a two-storey extension to the existing passenger terminal, infilling the space between the current building and the departure gate area. According to the airport, the development is intended to support growing passenger demand and forms part of a broader £400m programme aimed at modernising airport facilities and improving the passenger experience.

Once completed, the extension will increase the terminal’s overall floor space by around 45%. Plans include the addition of 17 new retail and food outlets, bringing the total number of commercial units within the terminal to 38. The layout will also introduce expanded seating areas and redesigned retail spaces.

Improvements are also planned for arrivals facilities. The scheme will deliver a new domestic baggage reclaim area, an additional baggage carousel and an estimated 20% increase in reclaim capacity. Immigration facilities will be upgraded with new lifts and stair access to improve passenger flow.

The development is expected to help increase the airport’s overall capacity to around 12m passengers per year.

Construction will take place while the airport remains fully operational, requiring careful management of passenger routes and airside operations. Around 150 workers are expected to be on site during peak construction activity.

As part of the logistics plan for the project, the contractor will install a temporary modular bridge to allow construction vehicles and equipment to move between landside and airside areas without disrupting airport operations.

The project marks a return to the site for Farrans, which previously worked on the airport’s public transport interchange alongside Alun Griffiths Contractors. Completed in 2024, the facility now handles around 250 public transport movements each day and forms part of the airport’s strategy to increase sustainable access options for passengers and staff.