Saint Helena airport
Encyclopedia
Saint Helena Airport is a proposed airport that will be constructed in the British Overseas Territory
of Saint Helena
, an island in the South Atlantic Ocean. From the 1960s there was an idea to build an airport on the St Helena Island. In 1999 this was taken up by the island government. An effect of the financial market crisis was that the plans were provisionally reset by the British government in December 2008. The airport was scheduled to be open by 2010, but the date is now 2015, by which time the RMS Saint Helena will be retired. The airport is due to be built on Prosperous Bay Plain
, on the east side of Saint Helena. By its advocates, it is hoped that the airport will bring much needed economic growth to the isolated island economy.
The airport is currently proposed to have a runway of length 2,250 m (7,382 ft), and to be capable of accommodating twinjet passenger aircraft up to the size of the Airbus A320
, Boeing 737
and also Boeing 757-200. These aircraft may potentially operate services to the UK, Ascension Island
and Cape Town
, and possibly Walvis Bay
in Namibia
, although the Ascension Island link is still subject to negotiation between the FCO and the US Defense Department.
In November 2011 a new deal between the British government and South African company Basil Read was signed and now means the airport is proposed to open in 2015, with flights to and from South Africa.
magazine, all of the companies tendering for the job of building and running the airport had by late September, 2006 withdrawn from bidding for the project, which was to be funded by the Department for International Development
(DfID). The local Access Office explained that the reasons were unclear but it seems the bidders considered the DfID has been unhelpful by not providing the possibility of on-site investigations in order to complete a detailed design before providing a fixed price for the project. According to the DfID's Director for Overseas Territories, his department remains committed to an airport for St Helena but at the time of the article there were no new bidders.
DfID re-started the procurement process to identify a suitable Design, Build and Operate contractor in October 2006. Capability Statements were received by DfID in March 2007 and four bidders were pre-approved for the Design, Build and Operator contract and a further three applicants have been pre-approved for the Air Service Provider contract. The applicants for the DBO visited the island for six months from June 2007 before submitting their final proposals, and as of January 2008 DfID is down to a shortlist of two bidders.
It was reported in The Guardian
on 10 December 2008 that UK Secretary of State for International Development Douglas Alexander
had announced a "pause in negotiations over the St Helena airport contract", apparently related to the 2008 economic downturn.
The St. Helena Leisure Corporation (Shelco) was set up by Arup
's Sir Nigel Thompson and Berwin Leighton Paisner
's Robert Jones, planning to construct luxury resorts and a hotel to be run by Oberoi Hotels & Resorts
in conjunction with the airport. The real estate
was to be sold even before construction had started; the proposal was turned down by the local government and the DfID.
Prosperous Bay Plain is one of the few remaining sites on Saint Helena that holds significant ecological diversity; according to a 2004 review by Atkins Management Consultants, the survival of numerous endemic species critically depend on preservation and protection of the location; it also is an important nesting site for the Wirebird, Saint Helena's national bird which is nearly extinct
. Although Shelco still continues to be a major force pushing for the airport's construction, its co-founder Sir Nigel is the chairman of the environmental charity Campaign to Protect Rural England.
British overseas territories
The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories of the United Kingdom which, although they do not form part of the United Kingdom itself, fall under its jurisdiction. They are remnants of the British Empire that have not acquired independence or have voted to remain British territories...
of Saint Helena
Saint Helena
Saint Helena , named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha which also includes Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha...
, an island in the South Atlantic Ocean. From the 1960s there was an idea to build an airport on the St Helena Island. In 1999 this was taken up by the island government. An effect of the financial market crisis was that the plans were provisionally reset by the British government in December 2008. The airport was scheduled to be open by 2010, but the date is now 2015, by which time the RMS Saint Helena will be retired. The airport is due to be built on Prosperous Bay Plain
Prosperous Bay Plain
Prosperous Bay Plain is an area on the north-eastern coast of Saint Helena, a British island territory in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is the site of the proposed Saint Helena Airport and is notable for its high invertebrate biodiversity.-Geography:...
, on the east side of Saint Helena. By its advocates, it is hoped that the airport will bring much needed economic growth to the isolated island economy.
The airport is currently proposed to have a runway of length 2,250 m (7,382 ft), and to be capable of accommodating twinjet passenger aircraft up to the size of the Airbus A320
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
, Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
and also Boeing 757-200. These aircraft may potentially operate services to the UK, Ascension Island
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...
and Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, and possibly Walvis Bay
Walvis Bay
Walvis Bay , is a city in Namibia and the name of the bay on which it lies...
in Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
, although the Ascension Island link is still subject to negotiation between the FCO and the US Defense Department.
In November 2011 a new deal between the British government and South African company Basil Read was signed and now means the airport is proposed to open in 2015, with flights to and from South Africa.
Controversy
According to Private EyePrivate Eye
Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop.Since its first publication in 1961, Private Eye has been a prominent critic and lampooner of public figures and entities that it deemed guilty of any of the sins of incompetence, inefficiency,...
magazine, all of the companies tendering for the job of building and running the airport had by late September, 2006 withdrawn from bidding for the project, which was to be funded by the Department for International Development
Department for International Development
The Department For International Development is a United Kingdom government department with a Cabinet Minister in charge. It was separated from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1997. The goal of the department is "to promote sustainable development and eliminate world poverty". The current...
(DfID). The local Access Office explained that the reasons were unclear but it seems the bidders considered the DfID has been unhelpful by not providing the possibility of on-site investigations in order to complete a detailed design before providing a fixed price for the project. According to the DfID's Director for Overseas Territories, his department remains committed to an airport for St Helena but at the time of the article there were no new bidders.
DfID re-started the procurement process to identify a suitable Design, Build and Operate contractor in October 2006. Capability Statements were received by DfID in March 2007 and four bidders were pre-approved for the Design, Build and Operator contract and a further three applicants have been pre-approved for the Air Service Provider contract. The applicants for the DBO visited the island for six months from June 2007 before submitting their final proposals, and as of January 2008 DfID is down to a shortlist of two bidders.
It was reported in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
on 10 December 2008 that UK Secretary of State for International Development Douglas Alexander
Douglas Alexander
Douglas Garven Alexander is a British Labour Party politician, who is currently the Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in the shadow cabinet of Ed Miliband. He has held cabinet posts under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, including Secretary of State for Scotland and...
had announced a "pause in negotiations over the St Helena airport contract", apparently related to the 2008 economic downturn.
The St. Helena Leisure Corporation (Shelco) was set up by Arup
Arup
Arup is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom which provides engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment. The firm is present in Africa, the Americas, Australasia, East Asia, Europe and the...
's Sir Nigel Thompson and Berwin Leighton Paisner
Berwin Leighton Paisner
Berwin Leighton Paisner is an international law firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom and a member of the 'Silver Circle' of leading UK law firms. It has nine offices in eight countries around the world, predominantly providing services in corporate, finance, dispute resolution, real estate...
's Robert Jones, planning to construct luxury resorts and a hotel to be run by Oberoi Hotels & Resorts
Oberoi Hotels & Resorts
The Oberoi Group, founded in 1934, owns and/or operates 29 hotels and 3 cruise liners in five countries.It remains one of the most decorated hotel chains in the world with many of its group hotels bagging various awards and accolades from Travel+Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Forbes and...
in conjunction with the airport. The real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
was to be sold even before construction had started; the proposal was turned down by the local government and the DfID.
Prosperous Bay Plain is one of the few remaining sites on Saint Helena that holds significant ecological diversity; according to a 2004 review by Atkins Management Consultants, the survival of numerous endemic species critically depend on preservation and protection of the location; it also is an important nesting site for the Wirebird, Saint Helena's national bird which is nearly extinct
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
. Although Shelco still continues to be a major force pushing for the airport's construction, its co-founder Sir Nigel is the chairman of the environmental charity Campaign to Protect Rural England.