Foster and Partners’ Terminal 2 at Heathrow is set to be open to the public by 2014.

Airport owner BAA has invested £2.5 billion in the project, which will play host to 20 million passengers a year.

Colin Matthews, chief executive at BAA, said: “There’s a lot still to do, but the opening of Terminal 2 could move Heathrow into pole position among European hub

airports and allow us to set our sights on elite airports such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Incheon in Seoul.”

Construction work is taking place in two phases. The first sees the creation of the main terminal on the site of the old Terminal 2 and Queen’s Building, as well as the

construction of a satellite terminal – both will open in 2014.

The second phase will extend the main Terminal 2 building and will see another satellite building constructed, increasing capacity by a further 10 million passengers

annually.