T5 Case Study Seminar

In late summer of 2002 the Terminal 5 Programme at Heathrow Airport commenced its 5 year assembly phase which culminates with a 6 month operational readiness period prior to opening on 27 March 2008. On 17 September 2007 the works were formally handed over to the operator Heathrow Airport ensuring BAA remains on track to achieve its vision for T5 to be the world’s most successful airport development.

The scope of the £4.3billion programme is vast and varied. But what is truly remarkable is that this has been achieved without compromising BAA’s four target objectives of delivery to cost, time, quality, and safety. BAA, together with its suppliers, set out to “Make History” by adopting a unique approach to project management enabled through the bespoke T5 Agreement form of contract.

The Terminal 5 Public Inquiry was the longest in UK Planning history however this seminar will focus on “How” this hugely complex programme of works has been delivered on a site the size of Hyde Park between the world’s most heavily utilised runways.

Fiona Hammond, the lawyer who was instrumental in the creation of the T5 Agreement contract, will explain its objectives in the context of the contractual environment of the mid 1990’s and provide meaning to the much quoted principle that at T5 “BAA holds all of the risk all of the time”.

Andrew Wolstenhome, BAA Capital Director, will inform what this meant in practice and, more precisely, how by changing behaviours and by creating an integrated team environment the programme has achieved its objectives. This is a lot more than the application of accepted project management processes – it exemplifies “Delivering it Differently”.

In response, two senior representatives of two of the leading 1st Tier suppliers engaged at T5 will provide their perspective of the T5 Programme and the application of the T5 Agreement. Mathew Riley, BAA’s Supply Chain Director, will close the Seminar with the Client’s perspective of the lessons learnt.