IT is one of the biggest building projects Dorset has ever seen and even amongst the rough restrictions of the recession, work is still forging ahead.

Bournemouth Airport has been quietly undergoing a massive £45million transformation as visitors to the airport in recent months will have seen.

After many stops and starts, disappointments and delays, the expansion work finally began last year.

The multi-million pound redevelopment project at the airport in Hurn was put on hold when the New Forest National Park Authority applied to the High Court for a judicial review of Christchurch Borough Council’s decision to grant permission for the development scheme in December 2007.

But a High Court judge shot down the action in April 2008 allowing the expansion plans to finally take off.

And with new managing director Rob Goldsmith at the helm, everyone is determined to prevent another terminal five fiasco. Passengers using the airport since December have started to use the interim departure lounge, which includes a larger tax-free shop, a licensed bar, a Café Ritazza unit, seating for around 500 passengers and four departure gates.

Rob Goldsmith said: “The new facilities, especially the toilets have drawn a lot of compliments from our regular passengers who are used to less luxury, shall we say.

“Most people have been really positive about the interim facilities.

“When work was happening with the runway and navigation systems, people could not see that anything was being done.

“But now the work on the terminal is under way, they can see how the work is unfolding before their eyes.

“Something changes every day.”

And it’s just as well the airport is expanding as by the time the work finishes, which is hopefully by next summer, airport chiefs are looking to see more than three million passengers a year pass through their doors.

Terminal space should nearly double to 9,830sqm with car parking spaces increasing to 5,600 from 2,330.

Nearly £20 million has already been spent replacing navigation systems, resurfacing the runway and expanding the apron in an attempt to make the transition as smooth as possible.

And with the apron now able to accommodate 11 planes with six contact stands, Rob Goldsmith says they could see up to 30 movements a day.

A covered walkway is also planned to ensure passengers will not have to walk more than 13 metres outside to get to the plane.

Despite the works and temporary measures, Bournemouth’s local airport was voted the eighth best in the UK, in a survey conducted by Which? last year.

Operations director Paul Knight said: “We’re really pleased with this survey. It was carried out when we were in our worst state and proves that despite the out-of-the ordinary conditions we were able to provide a high standard of service.

“This is something we do not want to change. We know people come here because it is a family atmosphere, because we have people working here who have been here for years and they know them.”

Paul is a classic example of one of the airport’s long-standing employees.

He started as a fire fighter at the airport nearly 28 years ago and after seeing a position open a few years later, says he has never looked back.

“When I started there was only one plane here and it used to be the highlight of our day watching it take off. Now obviously things are changing but we still want to preserve the same family atmosphere there has always been.”

Rob Goldsmith added: “As much as this is a difficult economic time we are confident that investing in the airport now will be a positive move to make the best of the upturn when it happens.

“We want to bring people into this area and with a bigger and better airport we believe it is not only us that will benefit but everyone. It’s a really exciting time.”