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New terminal mooted for Inverness Airport


By Alistair Whitfield

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A completely new building costing up to £54.8million might replace the current terminal at Inverness Airport.

The new terminal is one of four options now under consideration by the airport's owners Highlands and Islands Airports Limited.

If it ever gets built, it would be sited next to the long-proposed new railway station for the airport.

The current terminal at Inverness Airport.
The current terminal at Inverness Airport.

HIAL has just published a draft master plan outlining proposals for Inverness Airport between now and the year 2045.

Besides the new terminal there are other three options contained within the draft master plan.

Ranging in cost between £18.9million and £31.3million, these would all involve considerable expansion of the current terminal building.

A statement on HIAL's website says it "aims to provide a realistic and adaptable plan to respond to actual growth of the airport whilst providing appropriate facilities for our passengers, staff and businesses alike".

HIAL adds: "The master plan has been developed in consideration of the traffic forecast up to the year 2045 and whilst we realise that Covid-19 will result in lower than expected growth, at least in the short-term, we do believe that the expansion will be required regardless, just not over the same time period."

HIAL, which is owned by the Scottish Government, states that passenger numbers at Inverness Airport grew by approximately 55 per cent between 2014 and 2019, hitting the one million mark before the pandemic struck.

Despite the current problems associated with flying, it still estimates that, by 2045, the numbers of passengers passing through Inverness Airport could sill top 1.8 million.

If a new terminal is built it will be located on the southern perimeter of the airport's boundary.

HIAL's master plan states: "One of the main advantages of the terminal’s southernly location is its proximity to the site selected for a new railway station along the Inverness-Aberdeen line.

"The existing terminal is approximately one mile away from proposed railway station site which is too far to walk.

"Constructing a new terminal adjacent to the station will allow Inverness Airport to capitalise on the additional passengers using rail to access the airport.

"Furthermore, as the passenger terminal building will be constructed from new it can be designed perfectly to accommodate future growth with no disruption to existing terminal operations."

The master plan, which contains all four options, can be found here.

A consultation period allowing the public to comment is set to run until February 28.

Related article: Full steam ahead for airport railway plan


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