Infrastructure works will soon take place at Antwerp Airport. The runway will be renovated. This is necessary to continue to guarantee safe air traffic in the future. The airport will be temporarily closed for this purpose between 19 September 2022 and 25 October 2022.
The works will be carried out on behalf of LOM Vlaanderen, which is responsible for the maintenance of the basic infrastructure at Antwerp Airport. The LOM Vlaanderen ensures that air traffic at the airport can continue to take place in a safe manner. LOM Vlaanderen has assigned the execution of the works to TM Willemen – Aertssen after consultation with the market.
The planned works
The planned works aim at eliminating the difference in height at the transition between the runway and the runway strip (the zone around the runway). This will minimize the risk of material damage when an aircraft leaves the runway.
In addition, the surfacing of the runway will be renovated. In this way the LOM Vlaanderen prevents the runway from becoming unsafe in the long term. The aim of the work is to extend the life of the road surface by repairing the damage that has occurred in recent years due to wear and tear and localised subsidence. The last renovation works on the runway date back to the mid-90s, with the current renovation LOM Vlaanderen ensures that the runway can remain operational for another 20 years.
Sustainability
Antwerp Airport attaches great importance to sustainability. In addition to the renovation of the runway, a new sewer system and drainage system will be installed. The rainwater that falls on the runway will be buffered on the airport site and discharged (delayed) in the direction of a nearby parc. This means that the rainwater will no longer be discharged into the public sewers. The necessary agreements have been made with Aquafin. In addition, the electricity cabling will be replaced, so that the runway can henceforth make use of sustainable LED lighting.
No change to the runway
The LOM Vlaanderen emphasizes that the works are only aimed at renovating the current runway. The runway will not be extended. The surface of the pavement will not be changed. The bearing capacity of the runway (PCN value) remains unchanged. The category of the runway remains the same as before. The works will not lead to an increase in the capacity of the runway. The renovation will not allow any larger aircraft to land at the airport than those which can already use it today. The traffic that is possible at the airport remains identical, and the conditions of the environmental permit of 2008 remain fully applicable.
No environmental permit required
No environmental permit is required for the execution of these works. Although the planned works have a certain scope, they do not concern a modification or extension of the runway and there is no change of function that gives rise to changed environmental effects (the category/capacity of the runway remains unchanged). The exemption decree* is therefore applicable.
Neighbors of the airport
During the work, local residents will be taken into account as much as possible. Possible nuisance will be limited to the absolute minimum. For this reason, work will not be carried out 24 hours a day, between 7 am and 10 pm. Nor will work be carried out on Sundays (this will only happen if the work is delayed, for example by extremely bad weather conditions). That way, the possible nuisance for the people living in the neighbourhood will be limited to an absolute minimum.
Due to the works, there will be no flights between September 19 and October 25. From 26 October onwards we would like to welcome our passengers again at Antwerp Airport!
