By Natalia Forero, Local Democracy Reporter
Southampton Airport has revealed expansion plans including two new passenger lounges as bosses look to boost traveller numbers to three million a year.
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Steve Thurston, head of planning and development at Southampton Airport, told a public meeting that work is already underway on the first phase of the expansion.
The major plans come after a runway extension was completed in September 2023 – turbocharging the airport’s bid to boost passengers after Covid lockdowns disrupted business.
The first phase includes a new covered walkway, designed to provide weather protection for passengers arriving and departing.
Speaking at the Airport Consultative Committee in Eastleigh, Mr Thurston said: “In Southampton, we have put a number of phases planned in place, and I’m pleased to say that the first phase is a passenger lounge.
“We are moving ahead to develop this immediately.”
He added: “(The first phase) is proceeding quite fast in design now. It’s not something that we need planning permission for, as it comes under the airport’s operational permitted development.”
The second part of this first phase will see a ground floor extension to the departures lounge, which the airport says is needed to relieve pressure on existing space.
Mr Thurston said: “We’ve seen the need to expand the departures lounge, and there has been a commitment from our owners to invest in that.”
The airport is currently working with Eastleigh Borough Council to run the project under permitted development rules, which allows limited extensions without a full planning application.
Mr Thurston said: “We’re in discussions with the council about formally writing to them, and this phase will deliver the ground floor only.”
The airport aims to complete the new departures lounge extension by April 2027, ahead of the busy summer travel season.
Further phases of development are also being planned, including the construction of a second floor.
Mr Thurston said: “We will put a second floor in place and then extend in a northerly direction, wrapping around the terminal and the car park to provide further capacity within the terminal, followed by significant internal reconfigurations.
“That will give us the sufficient footprint we need to grow to three million passengers.”
For phase two, a full planning application will be required to EBC, with discussions already underway.
However, Mr Thurston stressed that the proposal is not about increasing flight numbers, but about accommodation.
He said: “This is purely about accommodating up to three million passengers with no additional traffic movements.”
Phase two includes a new domestic baggage reclaim hall and a baggage handling system.
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