Major earthworks contract awarded for Western Sydney Airport

Western Sydney Airport has awarded a contract to carry out major earthworks to a joint venture between Lendlease and CPB Contractors.

Works are expected to begin in early 2020 and the contract is set to create hundreds of jobs across the 1780 hectare site.

Around 25 million cubic metres of earth needs to be moved around the site, up from the originally predicted 22 million cubic metres due to improvements to the terminal’s layout requiring additional earthwork.

Western Sydney Airport CEO Graham Millett said that at least 30 percent of jobs during the construction phase will go to Western Sydney locals, with that figure increasing to 50 percent when the Airport opens.

“Work to build Western Sydney International began in September last year with initial earthworks, which are also being carried out by Lend Lease CPB,” Mr. Millett said.

More than 1.5 million cubic metres of earth has been moved on the site so far as part of the initial earthworks, which only covers around six per cent of the site.

Mr. Millett said that the positive response to the tender from the infrastructure market meant the task has been awarded as a single contract.

“After considering pressure on construction market resources and personnel, we had originally intended to split major earthworks into two contracts,” Mr Millett said.

“It was encouraging to see the appeal that working on the Airport carries across the construction industry, with the market participants putting their hand up to take on the entire major earthworks project under one contract.”

The architectural contract to design the terminal precinct is set to be awarded by the end of 2019. Western Sydney Airport put out a global call for registrations of interest to construct the terminal precinct earlier this month, with a tender to be released next year.

Market soundings for more job-creating contracts are due in coming months to test the market’s interest in runway construction and the Airport’s landside facilities package, which includes construction of the almost 200-hectare on-airport business park.