Belfast City Airport’s Master Plan 2040
Matthew Hall, Chief Executive Officer at Belfast City Airport, speaks to agendaNi about its draft Master Plan 2040, outlining how the airport plans to strengthen Northern Ireland’s air network, support sustainable growth, and boost the regional economy.
The Northern Ireland Programme for Government 2024-2027 (PfG) emphasises connectivity as a key driver of economic growth. People, planet, and prosperity are the cornerstones of the PfG, which underpin Northern Ireland’s strategy for a competitive and sustainable economy.
Within this, improving air transport accessibility is acknowledged as a critical factor for driving productivity, a key enabler of economic growth, social inclusion, and innovation.
“The PfG has set us on an exciting course to realise the ambition and growth potential that Northern Ireland has, and, at Belfast City Airport, we stand ready to play our part,” explains Matthew Hall, Chief Executive Officer at Belfast City Airport.
“The rising demand for air travel means that Northern Ireland’s airports will need to handle around 21 million passengers a year by 2040, with seven million of those forecast to travel through Belfast City Airport.
“We need to deliver this growth in a responsible way that supports the PfG while contributing to improved connectivity, regional balance, economic growth, and job creation.”
To achieve this, in September 2025, Belfast City Airport unveiled its draft Master Plan 2040, a vision for the future that outlines how it can meet growing demand, create a world-class infrastructure asset, and drive long-term prosperity across Northern Ireland.
Prosperity
“Realising our vision for the future could have significant benefits,” says Hall.
“This includes a £1.7 billion contribution to the Northern Ireland economy, supporting 23,000+ jobs across the region, and unlocking a potential £200 million private investment aimed at improving the airport’s infrastructure and route connectivity.
“In turn, this will attract investment, support exports, and make Northern Ireland even more appealing to startups, scale-ups, and multinationals, not to mention strengthening its attractiveness as a place to live, visit, and work.”
The potential £200 million private investment includes an extension of the existing terminal; new aircraft stands, aprons, and taxiway; surface access improvements; and the opportunity for complementary onsite development, such as a new hotel and EV charging forecourt.
“Importantly, this growth can be achieved within our existing noise controls and without a runway extension, through the use of cleaner, quieter, new generation aircraft,” Hall states.
The investment in Belfast City Airport’s future would also generate significant employment opportunities, doubling the airport’s workforce and contributing to increased wage-related spending across the local economy.
Hall continues: “When we talk about prosperity, we want to create lasting value; not just for the airport, but for Northern Ireland as a whole.”
People
These benefits extend far beyond the business sector. By enhancing connectivity and supporting communities, the draft Master Plan lays the foundation for long-term prosperity.
“Our draft Master Plan creates pathways to jobs and training, especially for young people and the long-term unemployed. We plan to create a new employment academy with the aspiration of delivering up to 15 per cent of new jobs through apprenticeships,” adds Hall.
“These opportunities will be supported by partnerships with local schools, colleges, and universities to create a clear pipeline of talent, especially for those who might not have previously seen a career in aviation as an option.”
Belfast City Airport has strong links with the local community through initiatives such as its community fund, which has donated nearly £750,000 to grassroots projects, with plans to increase this to £1 million within the next three years.
The draft Master Plan aims to build on this foundation, bringing real benefits to people living in the community.
“We are proud to be part of a sector that connects Northern Ireland to the world,” Hall says. “But we know that our responsibility begins at home. We want to help our community reach their potential, whether that’s through education, employment, or enterprise.”
Planet
Of course, growth must go hand-in-hand with sustainability; something the airport says is central to its long-term vision.
“Sustainability is not an afterthought; it is built into our decision-making process,” Hall explains.
“We have already made significant progress in decarbonising our operations, introducing HVO as a replacement fuel for all airside vehicles, reducing Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions, and achieving Level 3 Carbon Accreditation from ACI Europe, the first airport in Northern Ireland to do so.
“To ensure we continue to grow responsibly, our draft Master Plan focuses on sustainable transport to and from the airport. We are working with Translink to deliver improved bus facilities and we will also cap parking levels to encourage greater use of public transport.
“Excitingly, it presents an opportunity to partner with Translink to explore the prospect of a new rail halt directly connecting Belfast City Airport, which could see us becoming the first airport on the island of Ireland to have a direct rail connection.”
Looking ahead
The airport’s growth strategy is designed not only to accommodate more passengers but to do so in a way that supports regional balance, ensuring that prosperity reaches all of Northern Ireland.
Consultation on the draft Master Plan has now closed, but feedback received from government, industry, and the wider public will help shape the final version, expected to be published in 2026.
Hall emphasises that collaboration will be essential to delivering the airport’s ambitions, bringing together stakeholders from across sectors to ensure growth benefits everyone.
“People, planet, and prosperity are not just words,” Hall concludes. “They are the principles that will guide how we grow responsibly, sustainably, innovatively, and with a clear sense of purpose.”
The full draft Master Plan document can be viewed at:
W: www.belfastcityairport.com/Vision/home
