Heathrow Terminal 5 suffers minor subsidence

Monday 1st June 2009

Heathrow airport has admitted the foundations are rising with floor tiles reportedly having to be repaired on the south side of the terminal.

The £4.3bn terminal has been beset by problems since opening last March and had been built on top of a former sewage works, which had been built within an area of London clay.

Subsidence expert Norman Train, vice president of the Institute of Structural Engineers, said: "T5 is like an iceberg - far more of it is below the ground than above.

"Because clay swells when it is built on there was always going to be movement.

"There will be movement as part of the bedding in process during the first few years of the construction."

Greenpeace have called for more information to be released about the subsidence problem before works go ahead on a new terminal which is being planned just 500 meters from T5.

Ben Stewart, from Greenpeace, said: 'We need to know the extent of the subsidence and any data BAA and the Government have on the effect this because it will have an impact on the planned sixth terminal."

BAA - who own T5 - confirmed it was suffering from subsidence but insisted the problem was minor and nothing to worry about.

A spokesman said: 'In a building of this size, there is going to be some level of ground movement, but the fact remains that it is perfectly normal and what would be expected in a structure of this size. The degree of subsidence is in line with what you would expect and is nothing to worry about."

If there's any more "movement" on this story, we will try and keep you up to date. In the meantime, if you are looking for ground breaking prices or earth shaking deals, why not look at Comparing parking prices at Heathrow