The runway extension at Clayton J Lloyd International Airport (AXA) will be delivered in two stages, allowing work to start while land acquisition talks continue.
The first phase will include the widening of the runway, the runway profiling, the rehabilitation of the existing apron, and the introduction and creation of the partial parallel taxiway.
The project will also see upgrades to the airfield lighting and the creation of compliant runway and safety areas at both ends of the runway.
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According to infrastructure minister Jose Vanterpool, the Public Procurement Office released an invitation to bid (ITB) for the first phase of works on 23 December.
During a government press conference, he said the closing date for submissions is 10 March, with a construction duration of about 18 months expected.
“This procurement allows us to continue the airport works while providing the adequate time to complete the land negotiations needed for the expansion towards the east,” he explained.
Vanterpool said the project will develop the existing runway area and use land already in the government’s possession, to make sure extension is not “overly delayed.”
He added that once the necessary land to the east has been acquired, a second procurement process will begin for phase two which will see the 1,633 metre runway lengthened.
“This will allow for simultaneous work to take place, which is intended to fast track this project to completion – hopefully in line with the intended completion dates,” he said.
Airport Masterplan
The newly opened terminal and extended runway are part of an EC$473 million project as envisioned in the government’s Airport Masterplan 2022-2041.
The plan explains that lengthening the runway is required for current commercial airlines to operate with maximum loads and to allow Anguilla to attract new operators with larger aircraft.
It will also mean the island will meet regulatory compliance and reduce its dependence on St Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport as a connecting hub, the plan says.
The aim is to extend the runway to the east to 2,068.8m – which equates to a 1,829m take-off length, as well as widening it from 30m to 45m.
This will allow it to accommodate the A220-300, EMB 175/190, A319 and similar aircraft up to about 120-seats.
Government land acquisition in Anguilla is governed by the Land Acquisition Act, which provides the legal framework for the compulsory purchase of private land for public purposes.
During the press conference on 12 January, social development minister Shellya Rogers-Webster explained that the government can acquire land several ways.
“If there’s a willing seller they can purchase, they can swap… also they can do compulsory acquisition if the person isn’t necessarily willing to sell,” she said.
