Ports To Demolish 70 Year Old Hangar?

Tuesday, 7 November 2023 17:39

Ports of Jersey has submitted plans to dismantle the old hangar near the arrivals lounge in the airport.

The hangar, constructed in 1958, has been left redundant, storing engineering equipment and used for maintenance.

It has been 25 years since it housed aircraft, as regular monitoring shows it is no longer adequate for use.

Ports of Jersey’s CEO, Matt Thomas, says Ports understands the building has been in place for more than 70 years and will be recognised widely.

"It will always be part of the airport’s operational history.

"But to support the services needed for a modern airport, this end-of-life building needs to be replaced by a purpose-designed facility which meets today’s requirements."

Inspections of the hangar 24 years ago, in 1999, found it is no longer plausible to fix its defects.

Its external cladding, which contains asbestos, has become dislodged due to high winds, and the original rubber washers used to fix them have perished.

This has become a risk to people and aircraft in the area and it has become beyond cost-effective to repair.

The former hangar site will be used in part of the airport's master plan.

A temporary parking compound would be provided to allow contractors to safely dismantle the building and to provide alternative parking for displaced staff.

The application also incorporates a small extension to the Arrivals car park.