Bristol Airport has started work on a comprehensive six-month refurbishment of the air traffic control tower.

It is investing over £3.5m to improve and enhance the 20-year-old facility.

The tower will undergo extensive renovations, improving the overall aesthetics and functionality of the building whilst meeting the latest building standards and regulations.

It will incorporate environmentally-friendly elements such as energy-efficient lighting, heating and cooling system, reducing the building's carbon footprint.

The project will include several significant improvements to the air traffic control tower including:

• Over £3.5m investment
• Lift replacement
• New external facing
• Enhanced insulation
• New doors and windows
• Enhanced rest facilities for colleagues
• Roof works

The investment will provide a significantly improved air traffic control tower for the National Air Traffic Services colleagues and engineers working on site, providing round-the-clock air traffic services to the airport.

The project forms part of Bristol Airport's overall multi-million-pound transformational development plan, enabling 12 million passengers a year to use the airport.

Andrew Goodenough, infrastructure director, Bristol Airport, said: "This £3.5m refurbishment project represents a significant milestone in our efforts to modernise our air traffic control infrastructure and continues to ensure the highest levels of safety and efficiency.

"We have worked closely with the air traffic control team, and business contract partners to bring these state-of-the-art plans to life. It will be a complex project working with the various teams to ensure the day-to-day operation is disrupted as little as possible, whilst the much-needed refurbishment takes place."

The development of Bristol Airport to being a 12 million passenger per annum airport will create thousands of new jobs in the years ahead, open-up new direct air links, and support inbound tourism.

This project is one of many to enhance the customer experience and facilities at Bristol Airport whilst meeting the challenge of developing in an environmentally friendly way and the commitment in being a net zero airport operation by 2030.