Sunday, February 10, 2013

■ SOUTH AFRICA: (Pics) Johannesburg's OR Tambo Int'l Airport set to embark on its "Aerotropolis East" initiative.

The Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) is said to be close to signing a partnership deal with development companies to expand the company's flagship facility, OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg through the commercial development of airport land previously owned by arms manufacturer Denel. The prospect, too, of a new passenger terminal (OR Tambo Midfield Terminal) is also said to be in the "conceptualization" stage.

Johannesburg OR Tambo Int'l Airport, South Africa
Johannesburg OR Tambo Int'l Airport
(AirportsInt'l)
In time for South Africa's holding of the FIFA World Cup 2010, major upgrades and terminal expansion works were completed enabling ORTIA to handle 28 million passengers a year, though currently, the airport handles just under 20million passengers per year, on average.

Situated in Gauteng, the airport is located in the heart of South Africa's commercial and industrial hub with road and rail infrastructure linking it to Johannesburg, Pretoria and the sub region.

Speaking to BusinessDayLive, ORTIA's newly appointed general manager, Tebogo Mekgoe, said he has asked ACSA for ZAR300million for capital expenditure for this year to be used for the maintenance and refurbishing of OR Tambo International Airport in a bid to unlock the commercial value of the non-aviation land and to improve the access of passengers to the airport.

Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport is South Africa's principal airport, and with more than 50 percent of the country's air passengers passing through the airport, the airport generates USD112million (ZAR4billion) of which 42% of that comes from commercial operations.with over 100 companies employing over 50'000 people. The airport precinct also boasts  international and domestic travel retail malls and world class conference venues and hotels.

The proposed development is likely based on a study by NACO, Netherlands Airport Consultants B.V, done in 2005/2006 which provided for the development of a land use plan; development of a master plan, airfield and landside access configurations; financial feasibility analysis and an environmental impact/noise study.

NACO proposal for Johannesburg OR Tambo International

OR Tambo's MidField Terminal
OR Tambo's MidField Terminal (NACO)

OR Tambo's Envisaged Midfield Terminal & Runways
OR Tambo's Envisaged Midfield Terminal & Runways(NACO)

OR Tambo Airport's Envisaged Midfield Terminal (NACO)
OR Tambo's Envisaged Midfield Terminal (NACO)
ACSA's plans for ORTIA's development, entitled Aerotropolis East, proposed landside development opportunities include the creation of a world class aircraft maintenance and general aviation facility and the development of a mixed use precinct conceived as "a high quality urban environment founded on the live-work-play principle".

According to the proposal: the long term vision for Aerotropolis East is:
  • World class Aircraft Maintenance and aviation facility.
  • Development of a Mixed-Use Precinct founded on the live – work – play principle.
The Mixed-Use Precinct will be situated to the South East of OR Tambo International Airport, along the Atlas Road corridor.  The proposal is envisaged to include the following key components:
  • Commercial component
  • Hotel & MICE component (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions)
  • Residential component
The land use may follow market demand with township establishment 'imminent'. The envisaged PHASE 1A comprises a land area of approximately 10 hectares. The land, however, is not for sale, however it is available for development based on a long term land use arrangement. ACSA will consider development proposals which should include security of tenancy, development skills and financial plans.

Click here for a full brochure outlining all of ACSA's envisioned projects.

Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport 

Aerotropolis East Project Proposal 

Airport view - Orientation & Aerotropolis East connectivity
Airport view - Orientation & Aerotropolis East connectivity (ACSA)
Aerotropolis East Schematic
Aerotropolis East Schematic (ACSA)
Aerotropolis East – Proposed Phase 1
     Aerotropolis East – Proposed Phase 1  (ACSA)

In the schematics, provision is made for a second passenger terminal where the Denel Section currently is, dubbed OR Tambo Midfield Terminal, two new parallel runways and an extension/diversion to existing road and GauTrain rail infrastructure.