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10/12/2007 – Yorkon Completes Terminal Building for North Wales' First Commercial Airport

 

Award-winning off-site building specialist and Portakabin subsidiary, Yorkon, has completed construction of a new purpose-designed air terminal for the first civilian airport on Anglesey - Maes Awyr Môn - only four months after start on site.

Located at RAF Valley, the new airport provides a gateway to North Wales for both business and leisure passengers. Funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, owned by Anglesey Council and operated on a day-to-day basis by Operon, the new airport is seen as a catalyst for regeneration in the area and a significant boost for economic development for Anglesey and North West Wales.

Project managed by Turner & Townsend and designed by MAP Architects, the £1.5m terminal building was manufactured off site by Yorkon and craned into position as 10 steel-framed modules in just two days.

The single storey building has been constructed to minimise any impact on the environment, to provide an attractive new facility for the area and to be easily extended to meet the potential for future expansion and with minimal disruption to operations.

The new air terminal comprises baggage reclaim, a departures lounge, check-in desks, offices, visitor information, search and security facilities. Yorkon has also provided a 60-space car park, landscaping and fitting out.

The new commercial air service is operated by Highland Airways supported by the Welsh Assembly Government. Twice daily return flights during the week now link Cardiff with Anglesey, making use of existing runways, control towers and fire service facilities at RAF Valley.

Commenting on the project, Martin Cross, Project Manager at Turner & Townsend, said, "It was very important to have the new airport up and running as early as possible so flights between Cardiff and Anglesey could commence. By moving much of the work into a factory environment, we saved around two months on the programme compared to traditional site-based methods, with no compromise whatsoever on the quality of the finished building."

He added, "This more innovative approach also allowed us to minimise waste for disposal, and reduce the number of vehicle movements and disruption to the local community and the operation of RAF Valley, which were other key objectives for the project. Yorkon worked with us as a genuine, collaborative partner and delivered an attractive building with high quality finishes, on time, despite working in adverse conditions during the winter months."

The Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport in Wales, Ieuan Wyn Jones, said, "This new facility will enhance what is already proving to be an effective and successful link between North and South Wales.  Maes Awyr Môn has already attracted over 5,900 passengers - creating commercial and leisure opportunities and acting as a catalyst for the continued economic development of North West Wales."

"Airports and air services have an important role to play within the framework of an integrated and sustainable transport system. Maes Awyr Môn was a significant development in the Welsh Assembly Government's support for effective communications."

Dewi Roberts, Principal Officer - Transportation at Anglesey Council, said, "The new air terminal has exceeded our expectations. This is the first time this department has used off-site construction and we are impressed with the approach. The project was easy to manage and you would never know this is a modular building."

Chris Elmer, Terminal Manager at the airport operators, Operon, added, "This is a great building to work in from an operator's perspective. It is constructed to high standards and is easy to maintain and very serviceable. We are very pleased with it."

Yorkon has an extensive track record in airport construction, having completed four projects at London City Airport, as well as buildings at Stansted, Gatwick and Heathrow Airports.


Editor's Notes

1.  The project team for the Anglesey air terminal was:

Client: Isle of Anglesey County Council
Funder: Welsh Assembly Government
Project manager: Turner & Townsend Project Management
Design and build contractor/off-site specialist: Yorkon
Architects: MAP Architects
Cost consultants: Turner & Townsend Cost Management


2. The Yorkon approach to off-site construction offers a number of clear advantages over site-based building methods:

• programme times reduced by up to 50 per cent
• a more sustainable approach to construction with less wastage and enhanced thermal efficiency
• greater cost control
• less disruption
• safety improved by up to 46 per cent
• earlier occupation
• guaranteed quality
• less risk for the client - more than 96 per cent of Yorkon projects have been completed on time and 94 per cent on budget over the past five years - well exceeding construction industry averages.

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