Advising on airport development across Saudi Arabia

Mott MacDonald has been appointed as Airports Masterplan Framework consultant by Matarat Holding to advise on airport development across Saudi Arabia.

In this wide-ranging role, Mott MacDonald will conduct comprehensive reviews and updates to existing masterplans for 25 Saudi airports and develop robust strategies for future growth and investment.

The development of these airports, which are owned and operated by Matarat Holding and its subsidiaries, is a vital part of Saudi National Aviation Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030, helping to drive economic development, tourism and regional connectivity.

The scope of work is set out in the Airports Masterplan Framework and covers a two-year period.

Mott MacDonald’s sector specialists will outline development strategies for Matarat’s airports by addressing future demand, facility capacity, land use, development alternatives, preferred plan selection and implementation strategies, including infrastructure upgrades.

The project teams will be guided by regulatory requirements and stakeholder consultation.

They will develop comprehensive development plans for short-, medium- and long-term airport growth, environmental impact assessments and estimates of capital expenditure investments for the next 25 years.

The 25 airports covered by the framework include two major hubs, Riyadh Airport and Jeddah Airport, five airports focused on international travel and tourism, six regional airports, six domestic airports and six remote airports, which serve a social or developmental purpose.

Jonathan Looker, managing director for Saudi Arabia at Mott MacDonald, said: “It’s an exciting period for aviation development in Saudi Arabia. We look forward to working with Matarat Holding on robust airport development plans that can meet changing passenger demand, cargo growth and drive positive returns on investment.”

Engineer Turki AlMubadal, executive vice president of projects and technical affairs at Matarat, said: “Matarat is pleased to enter into this framework agreement with Mott MacDonald for the refresh of airport master plans across the Kingdom. By combining Mott MacDonald’s global expertise with the capabilities of Matarat’s team, we are not only meeting current planning requirements but also strengthening the local competencies that will support the long-term growth and resilience of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s aviation ecosystem.”