Wagner on $6 billion airport: 'I can do it in 3 years'

THE airport developer who bankrolled Wellcamp airport has weighed in on the airport proposed for Badgerys Creek saying he could build it faster and cheaper.

Airport developer John Wagner confirmed the new group would be formed in February. . Picture: Bev Lacey

THE airport developer who bankrolled Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport has weighed in on the airport proposed for Badgerys Creek saying he could build it faster and cheaper.

John Wagner announced he was open to taking on the building phase and running of the western Sydney airport.

"We would do the construction in a syndicate and that's the way most of these big projects work.

"As far as the operations of it go, we could do that ourselves."

Mr Wagner said Wagners was "actively" looking to bid for the tender, of which the documents are likely to be released this year. 

The company has a good record on large construction projects.

In April 2012 it decided to proceed with construction of Wellcamp airport 

An application was lodged in June 2012 and approval granted in 2013. The airport was constructed in 19 months and 11 days.

Now Mr Wagner eyeing off the Badgerys Creek project slated for western Sydney.

He said while building an airport was not rocket science there was a "hell of a lot of work involved".

Mr Wagner trumpeted the virtues of the private sector, saying it allowed work to be done "economically and quickly".

He said he was concerned the government's procurement process and financing could mean delays for the project if it builds the project on its own.

"The reality is it could be going three years from now if everyone was of like mind for it to happen that quick, and I believe it should happen that quick."

He described himself as being "miffed" at a projected $6 billion price tag on the Sydney airport project.

The Wellcamp airport is estimated to have cost $200 million to build.

He said internal work indicated that it "shouldn't cost that much".

"Until we are asked to formally tender for it by the government we can't make a clear determination on that.

"When it comes to construction we were very fortunate that we had material on site, we worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week so we could do it quickly.

"It's a matter of analysing the construction site once the documents come out for bid."

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Originally published as Wagner on $6 billion airport: 'I can do it in 3 years'