Geospatial Services Enable Transformation at Manchester Airport

Murphy Geospatial, a Woolpert Company, provides geospatial management services for the second phase of the Manchester Airport Transformation Program, helping improve decision-making, reduce errors, and save costs.

In 2015, Manchester Airports Group (MAG) announced the Manchester Airport Transformation Program (MAN-TP), an eight-year, two-phase, $1.8 billion redevelopment initiative for Manchester Airport. The program’s objectives included enlarging Terminal 2, constructing a brand-new pier, and eventually decommissioning Terminal 1.

Mace Construct, a global construction business headquartered in London, oversaw the second phase of MAN-TP. As the appointed project management and construction delivery specialist leading the refurbishment of Terminal 2 and construction of Pier 2, Mace Construct soon realized that a more structured geospatial approach would bring meaningful improvements and help minimize delays.

Mace Construct selected Murphy Geospatial, a Woolpert Company, to provide geospatial management services for all geospatial construction activities on-site, including:

Change visualization
Construction validation
Geospatial engineering services
Laser scanning
Scan-to-BIM

10-12%

reduction in on‑site errors

60% to < 90%

improvement in installation accuracy

18-20%

reduction in the cost of claims and disputes

Background and Timeline for the Manchester Airport Transformation Program

Manchester Airport is an international airport in Manchester, England, and is owned and operated by MAG, which oversees the United Kingdom’s largest group of airports. In 2024, it was the third-busiest airport in the U.K. in terms of passengers, making it the busiest airport outside London and the 19th-busiest airport in Europe. The airport has won prestigious industry recognition for customer service, earning the title of ‘Best U.K. Airport’ multiple times.

In 2015, MAG, having recognized the increasing number of passengers using the airport, sought to modernize and expand its infrastructure, announcing MAN-TP. This program included the enlargement of Terminal 2 and the construction of a brand-new pier to better facilitate transfers. When fully completed, the program would consolidate approximately 80% of passenger operations within the upgraded Terminal 2, enabling the closure of Terminal 1 and increasing total capacity to more than 30 million passengers annually.

During phase one of MAN-TP, which was carried out between 2019 and 2021, Terminal 2 more than doubled in size and adopted a brighter, more contemporary design. Pier 1 was also opened during this phase. This 709-foot, three-story structure, equipped with 11 airbridges and 22 boarding gates, provided a significant increase in aircraft-handling capability. Additional improvements included the implementation of advanced security lanes, the installation of a modern baggage screening and handling system, and the construction of a 3,800-space multi-story car park.

In January 2023, phase two was launched, beginning with the refurbishment of the original Terminal 2 building so that it more closely aligned with the newly constructed extension. This phase also introduced a new second pier (Pier 2), which added 12 contact stands capable of accommodating next-generation aircraft. Other additions during this phase include a modernized security hall, an expanded departure lounge, a market-style dining area, and other airfield upgrades, such as a new dual taxiway system.

Geospatial Services Enable Transformation at Manchester Airport

Geospatial Management Strategy

The primary goal was to provide Mace Construct with the necessary oversight and assurance that the project had been constructed in accordance with the design. Murphy Geospatial worked to achieve this objective by providing the client with a high-quality as-built dataset, fostering a right-first-time culture to support trade partners and the management team in delivering the design intent, and promoting compliance and quality installation for both on-site works, including Builder’s Work in Connection, and off-site manufacturing.

Murphy Geospatial worked with trade partners to improve installation accuracy and overall project precision by establishing a single source of truth through a digital model of the site. The firm continuously tracked changes as they occurred, ensuring the model always reflected reality. This digital reference not only allowed all involved parties to make decisions based on the same dataset, but also enabled issues to be resolved in the digital environment rather than the physical one. When an error was identified, Murphy Geospatial communicated concise, clear, visible, and validated information to the construction and design teams, enabling decisive action that reduced on-site change orders.

Murphy Geospatial also served as the dedicated geospatial lead, liaising with subcontractors and Mace Construct management, attending coordination meetings, and responding to setting-out requests. The firm provided build support, build handover documentation, and redlined drawings and models based on validated installations, maintaining proper lineage for future use. These efforts, combined with an effective feedback loop, enabled teams to course-correct before errors compounded, reducing the volume of requests for information and instances of misaligned work.

Additionally, Murphy Geospatial implemented a structured construction validation program, comprising the following elements:

Continuous capture of point cloud data across the entire site throughout the project using high-definition laser scanning
BIM comparisons to detect deviations from design models in both Terminal 2 and Pier 2
Control network setup and maintenance to provide consistent, verified survey data across all trades
Support for trade partners and the Mace Construct team through engineering surveying, setting out, and validation of works
360° site photography and computer-aided design deliverables for ongoing stakeholder updates
Live dashboards and weekly reports providing clear, non‑technical summaries for management
Direct coordination with construction teams to validate works prior to installation

How Murphy Geospatial Overcame Challenges Throughout the Project

Murphy Geospatial overcame several challenges during its work on phase two of MAN-TP, including:

A fast-paced schedule involving multiple contractors
Live, congested construction environments
Incorrectly sized and positioned openings

Fast-Paced Schedule and Multiple Contractors

Mace Construct needed to coordinate a large supply chain of specialists while ensuring that simultaneous workstreams across Terminal 2 and Pier 2 remained aligned and on schedule. Murphy Geospatial played a crucial role by applying the principle that “you can’t manage what you don’t measure,” providing Mace Construct with high-quality geospatial data and analysis.

With more detailed information, Mace Construct could base its decisions on robust insights rather than assumptions. Improved decision-making gave the project team the clarity needed to stay on track in a dynamic, deadline-driven construction environment. Murphy Geospatial’s geospatial insights also helped reduce misalignment and sequencing risks while enabling safely sequenced work.

In addition, the data revealed areas of high installation accuracy, identified emerging deviations, and indicated where attention was required. These insights enabled Mace Construct to compare performance between contractors, supporting more effective management. The data also highlighted recurring issues early, preventing them from escalating into wider project delays that could impact overall timelines.

Working in a Live, Congested Environment

Throughout the project, Terminal 2 remained highly congested, with passengers boarding and disembarking from flights. This activity resulted in limited site space, causing work areas to overlap and contractors to operate shoulder-to-shoulder. As a result, the consequences of installation errors or rework became more significant.

Murphy Geospatial and Mace Construct implemented several solutions to address this challenge. For example, a dedicated shuttle system was introduced to transport workers directly between Terminal 2 and Pier 2, minimizing the number of teams walking through the terminal construction environment. Construction teams also used scaffolding to move from one side of the terminal to the other, keeping the live passenger tunnel operational and free of construction materials and personnel.

Incorrectly Sized and Positioned Openings

One of the most common challenges in construction environments is incorrectly sized or located openings, including those for cables, pipes, HVAC duct transitions, and equipment access panels. Frequently, contractors adjust openings to suit immediate requirements, creating knock-on effects that can hinder subsequent trades when cable trays or ductwork no longer fit the available space.

Murphy Geospatial’s role was to prevent these opening-related issues from reaching the physical environment by resolving them earlier in the digital one. Using precise geospatial data and construction validation processes, the team identified deviations before they caused issues on-site, preventing knock-on effects that could lead to delays and time-consuming rework.

Resolving issues in the digital environment is significantly faster, less costly, and less disruptive than stopping a crew on-site. In the case of MAN-TP, one of the project’s architects was based in London, almost four hours away, meaning each unnecessary site visit resulted in lost time, additional travel costs, and increased carbon impact.

Delivering Quantifiable Value and Outcomes

Murphy Geospatial’s comprehensive geospatial management strategy delivered the following results:

10 to 12% reduction in on‑site errors
18 to 20% reduction in the cost of claims and disputes
Approximately 5% reduction in overall extensions of time and project-specific extensions

Below is a six-month sample of results from Murphy Geospatial’s construction validation program, which followed a weekly scanning cadence with next-day turnaround, alternating between Terminal 2 and Pier 2:

More than 6,000 issues identified, including over 4,000 within the Terminal 2 redevelopment and more than 2,000 in Pier 2
Project completion status during validation: approximately 90% for Terminal 2 and approximately 75% for Pier 2
Improvement in installation accuracy from 60% to over 90%
75% increase in cost savings achieved by resolving issues digitally rather than on-site

Additionally, for its exceptional geospatial management work at Manchester Airport Terminal 2 and Pier 2, Murphy Geospatial was a finalist for the Innovation in Airport Engineering award at the Airports New Civil Engineer Airport Awards 2026, as well as for the Supplier of the Year award.

Murphy Geospatial’s geospatial management and digital construction verification solution fundamentally enhanced our understanding of project progress and the accuracy of critical element placements on the Manchester Airport Terminal 2 and Pier 2 project. The robust framework for conducting accurate progress surveys, performing near real-time comparisons with BIM design models, and identifying potential clashes enabled Mace Construct to make informed decisions throughout the project. This approach led to a measurable reduction in rework and provided a tangible means of fostering a ‘build-right-first-time culture'.

Guy Fowler, Director – Infrastructure, Mace Construct

Comprehensively Enhancing Construction Projects with Geospatial Solutions

Murphy Geospatial’s work at Manchester Airport demonstrates how geospatial management can directly support successful project delivery through a data-driven management approach. By joining Woolpert in 2024, Murphy Geospatial gained access to expanded resources and specialist expertise, delivering even greater value for future clients.

Connect with a Woolpert representative today to learn how we can support your next project.