An area of the airport used to park jets is to be converted to a car park if a planning application by Skyport is approved.

The airport operator has applied to create the car park for the new airport terminal on part of what is now Apron 1 of the existing building.

Construction of the car park will be carried out in two phases so that aircraft could continue to use the area until the new terminal opens.

The application said: “As part of the redevelopment process, a section of the existing Apron 1 will be repurposed to create landside access roads, long-term, staff and emergency vehicle parking, as well as an area for pre-arranged pick-up.

“The project will be done in two phases as Apron 1 is still active, and will remain so, until the new terminal is operational.

“The first phase will see a portion of Apron 1 closed with a temporary fence with long-term parking constructed as well as a portion of the commercial parking.

“The second phase will see short term and bike parking added as well as an access road leading to the new terminal.”

The first phase of the project was expected to take three to four weeks.

The application said: “This work is scheduled to be complete prior to the opening of the new terminal building which will eliminate the need for the shuttling of long-term parking passengers from the existing long-term parking lot.”

The first phase of the project will include 201 long-term parking spaces, six of which will be handicapped spaces.

Parking will also be available for 18 minibuses and 59 motorcycles, with 73 employee spaces and 40 spaces for electric vehicles.

The second phase will add another 143 motorcycle parking spaces, a total of 202 slots, and 78 employee spaces, a total of 151 spaces.

The new airport terminal was expected to open its doors this summer, but construction was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

A Skyport spokeswoman said work on the terminal is expected to resume on Monday.