Costain lands biodiversity studies at two UK airports

Costain has been appointed to carry out biodiversity surveys at Manchester Airport and East Midlands Airport as part of Manchester Airports Group’s (MAG) latest sustainability push.

The work will involve developing baseline assessments across more than 1,500 hectares of land, covering grassland, scrubland, ponds and urban habitats.

Costain’s teams will carry out both physical and digital surveys, using geographic information systems (GIS) to measure each site’s biodiversity value under the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs statutory metric.

The results will inform MAG’s new sustainability strategy and its nature-based targets, and will also underpin future development plans at the two airports.

Furah Naeem, principal aviation consultant at Costain, said the contractor would use its experience managing biodiversity and GIS platforms to support MAG’s ambitions.

MAG biodiversity infrastructure manager Isabella Mcquillan said the work would help ensure the group’s airports “grow sustainably and responsibly”.

MAG is both client and landowner for the two airport sites. It is aiming to deliver net-zero airport operations throughout the group by 2038.

Costain’s selection for the two surveys follow its environmental work on the A30 dualling project in Cornwall, where it has forecast a 20 per cent biodiversity net gain.

Source: Costain announcement