OR Tambo Western Precinct construction to start before end-Feb

Airports
Company South Africa (ACSA) on Tuesday announced the first phase
of its Western Precinct development at the OR Tambo International Airport, east of Johannesburg, would start
this month and would be complete by the end of 2020.

The R4.5-billion mixed-use Phase 1 development
would comprise three six-storey buildings, including the head offices of ACSA
and the South African Civil Aviation Authority, retail space, a hotel,
conference facilities, logistics services and five
levels of parking.

ACSA on Tuesday hosted a sod-turning ceremony on
the 8.5-ha, 180 000-m² development site.

The Western Precinct’s Phase 1 construction should
see 1 100 people employed on site and at project peak.

The Western Precinct development will consist of a
total seven phases.

OR Tambo GM Bongiwe Pityi-Vokwana said as the busiest airport in Africa and the
international gateway to South Africa, it was
imperative that OR Tambo remained an international landmark with
world-class infrastructure and a
large variety of services for all
users and markets.

“The Western Precinct development forms part of a
strategy to expand our offering and to drive new sources of growth for the
entire region.”

The development would also improve the connectivity
from the Gautrain station
and to existing hotels and facilities through a pedestrian bridge to the
international terminals building.

Pityi-Vokwana added that, in addition to the
Western Precinct development, OR Tambo’s long-term Infrastructure Master Plan
would cater for midfield cargo and midfield passenger terminals, each
requiring several billion rands in further investment.

“These developments will accommodate growing
passenger demand and expand the midfield cargo facilities at the airport to
accommodate up to two million tons of air cargo annually.”

The Western Precinct construction, and other
developments such as terminal building upgrades and
expansion of midfield cargo facilities at the airport in due course, should see
38 000 jobs supported over the next few years.

The members of the Western Precinct 62%-black-owned consortium are HERI Propco, as the developer, MMQS Mace Consultancy, and Tiber Construction, as the building contractor. http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/or-tambo-western-precinct-construction-to-start-before-end-feb-2019-02-12