US engineering firm Bechtel has been appointed by Gatwick Airport to deliver a £180 million extension project at Pier 6 in the North Terminal.

The development is part of Gatwick's five-year Capital Investment Programme and the four-phase scheme is scheduled to start in 2018.

Construction will begin once two major enabling projects are completed;

• Moving the stand for the world's largest commercial aircraft, the A380, from its existing location on Pier 6 to a newly created stand on Pier 5.

• Widening and re-aligning a taxiway to enable the A380 to move between the runway and its new stand so as to accommodate its 80 metre wing-span.

Gatwick will build the Pier 6 extension under a Construction Management delivery model.

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Overall, Bechtel will be responsible for the management of engineering, procurement and construction works and will be integrated alongside Gatwick's construction and development teams..

Gatwick's Construction Director, Raymond Melee said: "This is one of the most important programmes of work we have in our current capital investment programme as it will give a crucial boost to our operational efficiency and help us to grow sustainably. It will be complex, as it is right in the heart of our airfield, but we are experienced in delivering complicated projects in challenging environments at Gatwick.

"We are grateful for the partnership with Bechtel whose experience will be invaluable. We look forward to our teams working side-by-side as we deliver a world class project while not compromising the airport experience for our passenger."

Bechtel's UK Managing Director, Paul Gibbs, said: "This appointment is a positive reflection of our partnership with Gatwick Airport. We know that construction in the middle of a very busy airfield can be complex, so we will be working alongside Gatwick's operational teams to ensure the work is sequenced carefully and that the passenger experience is maintained throughout."

The last stage of the four-phase programme will be the building of the western extension of Pier 6 itself, which is due to be operational by early 2022.

(LM/MH)