Mitie Secures Five-Year Grounds Maintenance Contract at Edinburgh Airport

Edinburgh Airport has awarded Mitie a new five-year contract for grounds maintenance across its airfield and terminal buildings.

As part of this contract, Mitie will provide essential landscaping services at Scotland’s busiest airport, which handles over 14 million passengers travelling to 152 destinations annually. The services will include lawn care, tree and shrub maintenance, litter collection, and weed control across the entire airport estate, from the terminal front to the airfield. The team will also be responsible for mowing and maintaining approximately 2 million square metres of grass—a space equivalent to 280 football pitches.

In addition to landscaping, Mitie will provide winter maintenance services at the airport. This will involve gritting car parks, walkways, and roads across the site, as well as supporting the maintenance of taxiway systems when needed. Given the harsh winter weather often experienced at the airport, ensuring the grounds remain safe and accessible for passengers and staff is a crucial responsibility that Mitie will undertake.

Sustainability is a key focus of the contract. Mitie plans to use white marine salt, derived from evaporated seawater, for gritting, rather than salt obtained through mining. The company will also aim to eliminate the use of plastic and is working on several initiatives to introduce more sustainable planting and wildflower areas at passenger entrances to enhance biodiversity at the airport.

This contract further strengthens Mitie’s presence in the UK aviation sector, where the company already provides a range of services, including cleaning, engineering, and waste management, as well as baggage security, at major airports such as Heathrow, London Stansted, Birmingham, Manchester, and Belfast City.

Tim Howell, Managing Director of Mitie Landscapes, commented: “We are delighted to partner with Edinburgh Airport to deliver grounds maintenance services over the next five years. Our experienced team is dedicated to maintaining the airport’s extensive grounds using the most sustainable methods available, ensuring they remain safe, functional, and visually appealing throughout the year.”

Brian Anderson, Head of Engineering at Edinburgh Airport, added: “Effective grounds and winter maintenance are crucial to the airport and our daily operations, and we are pleased that Mitie will be working with us on this over the next five years. Their experience and expertise, along with their plans for future improvements, will help ensure the best service for passengers and staff across the campus.”