Belfast City Airport to consult public on £200m expansion plans

Belfast City Airport expansion plans worth up to £200 million are to go to public consultation, including proposals for an expanded terminal, new aircraft stands, improved road access and a potential hotel.

The consultation will run from 29 September until 27 October and follows the submission of Proposal of Application Notices to Belfast City Council and Ards and North Down Borough Council.

The airport says the proposed privately funded investment is intended to prepare the site for increased demand for air travel over the next 15 years.

Under its Master Plan 2040, Belfast City Airport anticipates that it may need capacity to handle seven million passengers annually by 2040. 

What could the Belfast City Airport expansion include?

The draft proposals include extensions and alterations to the existing passenger terminal, a replacement passenger pier and additional aircraft stands.

New aprons and taxiways are proposed alongside improvements to other airfield infrastructure.

Plans also include a new multimodal passenger forecourt, changes to vehicle access and parking, and provision for complementary development including a hotel.

The planning proposals include a new left-hand slip road from the Sydenham Bypass into the airport, improvements to the existing entrance and plans for multi-storey and long-stay parking. 

The airport has stressed that there is no proposal to extend the runway. 

Possible future rail connection

The plans also safeguard land for a pedestrian link to a potential future rail halt serving the airport.

The airport and Translink have previously signed a memorandum of understanding to explore improved rail connectivity.

A Department for Infrastructure response to an Assembly question in June said a Strategic Outline Case for the Belfast City Airport Connectivity Project was planned for submission in autumn 2026. 

Changes to airport operating restrictions

Alongside the physical expansion proposals, Belfast City Airport will hold a voluntary consultation on proposed amendments to its existing Planning Agreement with the Department for Infrastructure.

The airport says changes to operating hours and annual aircraft movement limits would provide greater flexibility for airline schedules and future routes.

Information published by the airport indicates that one proposed change would extend the period for scheduled operations from 15 hours to 16 hours, allowing scheduled aircraft movements up to 10.30pm. 

This element of the proposals is likely to be of particular interest to communities surrounding the airport as the consultation progresses.

Airport predicts economic boost

Belfast City Airport says delivering its wider Master Plan could create more than 1,100 additional jobs at the airport.

It estimates that by 2040 its operations could contribute £1.7 billion annually to the Northern Ireland economy and support more than 23,000 jobs across the region. These figures are projections produced as part of the airport’s own Master Plan rather than independently established outcomes. 

Airport chief executive Matthew Hall said the proposals were intended to accommodate future demand while ensuring growth was undertaken responsibly and with consideration for neighbouring communities.

He encouraged residents, businesses and passengers to participate in the consultation, saying feedback would help shape any subsequent planning applications. 

Public consultation begins this month

The consultation opens on Tuesday 29 September.

The airport is planning a series of face-to-face events, including sessions at Templemore Baths in East Belfast between 2pm and 4pm and 6pm and 8pm on the opening day.

Further consultation events will take place during the following weeks, while responses can also be submitted online, by email or in writing.

The consultation closes on 27 October, after which feedback will be considered before formal planning applications are brought forward.

Further information about the proposals and public consultation is available from Belfast City Airport.