AIRPORT bosses have unveiled plans for a £1.3m revamp of part of its terminal building.

This artist's impression shows how the front of the Durham Tees Valley Airport will look once the work is complete.

The plans come as the airport announces a 13 per cent increase in passengers passing through its terminal last year - twice the average for UK airports as a whole - taking the total to more than 900,000.

Last night, airport chief executive Hugh Lang said he was expecting a further 22 per cent increase in 2006 - breaking through the million barrier to reach a total of 1.2 million passengers.

Mr Lang said the design for the front of the airport was "just the beginning" and said there would be more major internal works to provide extra space.

Durham Tees Valley Airport has applied for permission for a £56m expansion programme, which will allow the airport to serve three million passengers a year by 2015.

The application has been delayed by the Highways Authority, which has asked the airport to carry out another study of how the expansion would impact on local traffic.

The overall plan also includes a business park, aircraft stands, a hotel, restaurant, car parks and landscaping.

Work on the frontage will start later this month and take about 16 weeks. Architects have used brushed steel and modern lighting to give the front of the airport a more modern exterior.

North-East company Hall Construction will carry out the work.

Mr Lang said: "This is by no means the end of the story. Our major development plans, which will equip the airport to handle up to three million passengers a year - creating about 2,500 new jobs - are awaiting the decisions of our local planning authorities.

"We would like to move ahead with those plans as quickly as possible but, in the meantime, we are doing everything possible to maximise the capacity of our existing facilities."

During the construction, there will be some changes in passenger access to the terminal and vehicle drop-off points.