INVERNESS Airport is to be boosted with a runway upgrade so the terminal can handle a boom in flights.
Operator Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (Hial) is investing more than £2.5million to secure the facility’s future.
And, as work got under way, it was revealed that part of the investment is for infrastructure to gain spin-off development in aircraft repair and maintenance.
The improvements were welcomed yesterday by business leaders who said the airport would provide a crucial boost to the local economy.
Hial managing director Inglis Lyon said the work would enable the airport to accommodate the forecast growth in demand for flights.
The mile-long runway is being resurfaced at a cost of £1.4million and, at the same time, work has begun on a £1.2million taxiway extension linking the main runway with the planned site of Inverness Airport Business Park. It is envisaged this extension will open the business park area for future development, including opportunities for firms offering aircraft maintenance, repair and other facilities.
The resurfacing work, replacing the existing tarmac, will extend the life of the runway for another 20 years. The existing runway currently takes a pounding as it handles about 31,000 flights a year.
Both upgrade projects are being carried out by Colas Ltd and are expected to take up to 12 weeks to complete.
The runway resurfacing will largely be undertaken at night to avoid flight disruption, while the connecting taxiway extension will be constructed during the day.
Mr Lyon said: “The resurfacing of the main runway is a challenging and complex project, particularly given the volume of traffic Inverness Airport handles.
“However, the runway is one of our most important assets and this essential work will help extend its lifespan and ensure the airport is able to accommodate the forecast growth in demand for air travel.
“The extension of the taxiway system to Inverness Airport Business Park is also a significant investment for the future.
“It will allow aircraft access to the emerging business park and enable the development of key maintenance, repair and other ancillary facilities on the site.
“We will do everything we can to ensure that both projects are completed on time and do not disrupt normal airport operations.”
Stewart Nicol, chairman of Inverness Chamber of Commerce, said the project was a hugely important investment in a key area for economy of Inverness and the wider Highlands.
He said: “It is one of the key aspects of how we achieve all that we aspire to for the Highland community.
“It means we can increasingly compete on a global scale and reach a range of international and UK airports, which is hugely important. It secures the region, helps boost the economy and prepares us for doing even more.”
David Hastings, chairman of Inverness Airport Business Park Ltd, said the work would help attract companies to the business park, particularly those looking for an air-side base.
The latest investment follows last year’s £850,000 upgrade to the airport’s south apron, essentially the main parking area for passenger aircraft, which enabled the airport to handle long-range aircraft such as the Boeing 757.
It also enabled larger planes such as the A319 used by easyJet to park next to the arrivals area.
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