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Stansted Airport’s £40 million terminal extension project has reached a significant milestone as the first of 22 diagrids (roof domes) that will form the new envelope structure were successfully lifted into place.

A team of specialist contractors, from Watson Structural Steel Ltd and MACE, using a 450 tonne crane placed each diagrid onto the extension’s unique steel structure before they are secured, glazed and weatherproofed. Each roof diagrid weighs 30 tonnes and measures 18 square metres in size. They are assembled at a dedicated construction zone at the airport before being carefully transferred the short distance by a special transporter to the main construction site prior to each crane lift.

BAA Stansted’s Paul Chatten, project leader for the terminal extension, said:

“The project has already made excellent progress since getting underway in April of this year. We have now reached one of the most significant stages of the development as we undertake a series of complex roof lifts – this is not your everyday roofing job!

“Each evening a safety exclusion zone of 75 metres in diameter is put in place around the crane while the lifts are carried out, so we have to work very closely with the terminal management team to keep disruption to the normal airport operation to an absolute minimum.

“We also have to factor in the weather conditions. If wind speeds are in excess of 17mph we cannot carry out any lifts, so when working to a tight schedule it’s crucial we have the right conditions to carry out the work safely. Thankfully we have had minimal disruption from the weather so the project remains firmly on track.”

The £40 million project will create an extra 5,900m2 of floor space to the international arrivals area of the terminal, with the expanded immigration, baggage and customs halls opening in June 2008 and the project fully completed by December 2008.

Posted in Airport News, UK Travel News

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