Perth Airport names winning contractors BMD Group and CPB Contractors (Skyway) for new $1b new runway

Construction partners BMD Group and CPB Contractors (Skyway) have won the contract to build the lion’s share of Perth Airport’s new $1 billion runway. The 3000m parallel airstrip, expected to open by 2029, will help the aviation hub handle rising traffic from domestic, international and fly-in, fly-out services over the next two decades. The contract with BMD and CPB includes demolition of existing buildings and pavements on the site, diversion of existing utilities and storm water drains, access roads, taxiway, shoulder, and jet blast areas and landscaping. Perth Airport chief executive Jason Waters said the airport had been working the past five years to minimise the impact of the new runway on the environment and residents in nearby suburbs. “A new runway means new flight paths, and we remain committed to continue to talk to the community so they can become better informed on the operations of the new runway,” Mr Waters said on Thursday. “Airservices Australia, with support from our team, will be working to finalise the flight paths as construction progresses.” The runway project is part of a $5 billion redevelopment of Perth Airport that will will need up to 5000 workers at its peak. It includes the airport’s first hotel, a new Qantas terminal and multi-storey carparks. The airport’s passenger volumes rose 8.5 per cent to 17.48 million in the year to June 30 on the back of a big spike in international visitors and record FIFO travel across the State’s resources projects. By 2046, however, numbers are expected to exceed 30 million a year. The airport has continuously pleaded for patience from travellers while the redevelopment is undertaken, urging outbound passengers allow more time to catch their flights and encouraging them to take the train rather than drive in to reduce delays. CPB’s origins date back to 1927 but the modern-day group was formed in 2016 from the merger of CIMIC Group’s Leighton Contractors and Thiess Construction. Queensland-based BMD was founded in 1979 by former Leighton cadet Mick Power and wife Denise Power, and Mr Power’s sister Beverley and husband Bevin.