New Adelaide Airport masterplan unveils new entrance off Richmond Rd

A major new entrance off Richmond Rd, more direct flights and more shopping for international visitors is part of Adelaide Airport’s bold vision.

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A bold vision to fast-track development at Adelaide Airport — including opening up a Richmond Rd entrance for taxis and freight to bust traffic congestion — has been unveiled by airport managing director Mark Young.

The Adelaide Airport Masterplan for the next eight years will be released for public consultation in July but Mr Young flagged a number of key ambitions at a West Torrens Council business networking breakfast on Tuesday.

An artist impression of the Adelaide Airport terminal expansion.

Changes to the airport — already the state’s largest employment hub and fastest growing economic zone — include:

A NEW access route to the airport for freight and taxis via Richmond Rd to reduce congestion on Donald Bradman Dr.

GROWING the national and international freight traffic worth $1.8 billion annually and increasing the 8.5 million annual passenger traffic, including opening new routes and increasing direct flights.

AN INTERNATIONAL terminal and retail project worth $165 million.

EXPANDING the 200 existing businesses in the airport precinct which employ 8000 people now to 19,500 by 2039. Related off-airport employment would grow from 22,800 to 56,100 over the next 20 years.

BOOSTING the zone’s current $2.98 billion (about 3 per cent) gross state product contribution to $7.48 billion by 2039.

Premier Steven Marshall told the meeting that his Government had “a clear ambition” to get SA moving and grow the state’s economy.

“Having Adelaide Airport driving economic activity in SA is essential to that growth agenda,” Mr Marshall said.

“We have in the past been a laggard state but no more.”

SA, which created 12,000 new jobs in the past year, was now growing faster than the national economy and his government was committed to creating “the most attractive environment possible” to attract business investment by lowering taxes, he said.

Taxis line up at Adelaide Airport. Picture: Michael Marschall.

West Torrens Mayor Michael Coxon, who hosted the event at the recently opened Atura Hotel at the airport, said council would do whatever it could to fastrack the extension of Richmond Rd and open the new entrance.

“If there is a business case to do so, Council will support this directly,” he said.

Mr Young said it made sense to have an additional entry road given plans for the expansion of freight and logistics facilities in areas close to Richmond Rd.

He noted that studies had shown that taxis comprised 30 per cent of traffic on the congested Donald Bradman Dr during the morning rush-hour.

“We would like to take a big segment of these taxis to Richmond Rd,” he said.

Freight to and from Adelaide Airport is a $1.8 billion annual business, with the US being the largest customer, followed by China and the UK.

Artist’s impression of the Adelaide Airport international terminal expansion project. Picture: Supplied by Adelaide Airport.

Mr Young said the terminal expansion currently under construction was primarily to improve facilities for international arrivals and departures.

The revamp would include much expanded retail area and a relocation of Virgin facilities, including its lounge.

Currently about one million of the 8.5 million passengers passing through the airport are international visitors. Asia, particularly China, is now the fastest growing and largest international customer base.

Mr Young said there were 20 domestic or regional and 10 international airlines using Adelaide Airport at the moment but a priority for the future was to develop more direct services to and from Adelaide.

These included direct flights from Adelaide to national destinations like Newcastle and Hobart and internationally to the US west coast.

Mr Young said plans to extend the airport’s rapidly growing business district would continue, with the goal to make the airport “a top-tier business in the Asia-Pacific”.

The master plan follows earlier expansion blueprints, including a 2014 draft which led to the building of the Atura Hotel at the airport.

Vickers Vimy aircraft will enjoy pride of place in the new international terminal at Adelaide Airport. Picture: AAP/MIKE BURTON.

Mr Young said the historic Vickers Vimy aircraft flown by Sir Ross and Sir Keith Smith nearly 100 years ago would be installed in the new international terminal by mid-2021.

A two-month public consultation on the airport masterplan for the next eight years will begin in July and should be signed off by the federal transport minister in April next year.