Canadian construction firm Aecon has signed a contract with the Government of Anguilla to extend the runway at Clayton J Lloyd International Airport.
The company, which partnered with Caribbean-based Kelly Construction on the airport’s new terminal, expects to begin preparatory work in the first week of November.
Infrastructure minister Jose Vanterpool announced the contract signing during a government press conference on 26 October, confirming that it was formally executed on 16 October.
At Anguilla Focus we keep our core content free for everyone – but our members get access to even more! Click here to join from just $4/month.
He said Aecon representatives are on island this week for initial meetings with the ministry and other stakeholders ahead of construction.
The company received an award letter for the project in July, with the contract expected to be signed within weeks. However, Vanterpool announced in September that the process had been “slightly delayed”.
“As a result, this has slightly pushed the project completion estimate back to early 2029, as opposed to the end of 2028,” he said at the time.
‘Significant milestone’
During the recent press conference, the minister described the signing as “another significant milestone in the airport redevelopment programme”.
“This development of our airport is not simply about expanding infrastructure for the sake of expansion,” he said.
“It’s about strengthening Anguilla’s connectivity, improving our ability to accommodate air services, and positioning our island to take advantage of opportunities that our existing infrastructure may otherwise limit.
“The execution of this contract is an important step towards achieving these objectives.”
Vanterpool said the next priority is to progress preparations, construction and the necessary regulatory processes efficiently.
Environmental impact assessment
In a social media post on 2 September, the government said it was seeking public feedback to help inform an environmental impact assessment being prepared for the proposed expansion.
Until the end of September, residents were encouraged to raise any environmental, traffic or drainage concerns they believe could arise from the project.
The consultation was also intended to gather views on how the proposed expansion could generally affect residents, families, businesses, employment and the wider Anguillian community.
“I want to thank the individuals, organisations, and all other stakeholders who have participated and provided feedback into this process,” Vanterpool said during the press conference.
The environmental impact assessment is now being finalised and is expected to be completed by 1 December before being submitted to the Planning Department for review.
Vanterpool said the government will continue to update the public as the project progresses.
