Dublin unveils new terminal plans

Dermot Davitt

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The airport is to invest in a new 15m capacity passenger terminal to open in 2009

Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) has announced plans to build a new 50,000sq m (538,000sq ft) passenger terminal by late 2009. The terminal, which will have capacity for 15m passengers a year, is the core component of DAA's ten-year, €1.2bn ($1.5bn) framework development project to boost the airport's capacity to over 30m.

The authority has yet to release details of commercial space in the new terminal, which will cost up to €200m ($250m) to build. In the shorter term the airport is to build a 200m pier D by 2007. Renovation and expansion of the exiting passenger terminal is also included in the development programme.

DAA chairman Gary McGann said: "The programme represents a comprehensive and swift response to the government's decision of last May that the company should build a new passenger terminal and other infrastructure to cater for ongoing strong growth in aviation traffic and passenger numbers."

DAA said it would shortly be awarding the contract to build pier D and commencing the tender process for the detailed design of the second passenger terminal. Designs will be subject to independent verification, as required by government, to asure stakeholders that the the plans are cost effective.