Luton airport growth accredited by authorities | EUROtoday

London Luton Airport will see annual passenger numbers virtually double to 32 million by 2043 after the federal government accredited growth plans.

It comes regardless of the Planning Inspectorate recommending Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander rejects them over environmental issues.

Luton Rising, the airport’s homeowners, mentioned the choice may deliver “significant economic, employment and social benefits for our town”.

However, environmental campaigners mentioned “with climate change worsening, the last thing any of us need is 70,000 more aircraft a year”.

Luton was the UK’s fifth busiest airport final 12 months, with 16.9 million individuals travelling on 132,000 flights.

The growth plans contain constructing a brand new terminal, new taxiways and rising capability within the present terminal, from its present 18 million passengers a 12 months.

A authorities supply mentioned: “Expansion will deliver huge growth benefits for Luton with thousands of good, new jobs and a cash boost for the local council which owns the airport.

“This is the 14th Development Consent Order accredited by this Labour authorities, demonstrating we’ll cease at nothing to ship financial development and new infrastructure as a part of our plan for change.”

The decision over expansion had been delayed three times – most recently so newly appointed Alexander could have more time to consider the application.

Paul Kehoe, independent chair of Luton Rising which is owned by Luton Borough Council, said up to 11,000 new jobs would be created, along with “further annual financial exercise of as much as £1.5bn” and “as much as an extra £13m yearly for communities and good causes”.

The announcement comes less than a week after Vauxhall’s van-making factory in Luton was closed by parent company Stellantis, putting up to 1,100 jobs at risk.

Andrew Lambourne of campaign group LADACAN, which has opposed Luton airport’s expansion, said the government had ignored local people.

He said: “The authorities has mentioned it believes in native resolution making, but has ignored the 90% of residents, teams and councils which strongly opposed this utility as a result of they know it’s out-of-keeping with the realm.

“People living under the flight path are already at risk of health damage from being awoken by night flights, so adding 70% more is inhumane.

“And with local weather change worsening, the very last thing any of us want is 70,000 extra plane a 12 months creating greenhouse gases and contrails.”

Countryside charity CPRE said the expansion made “a mockery” of the government’s “dedication to reaching web zero by 2030”.

It mentioned: “Airport growth will do nothing to spice up UK development. There has been no web enhance in air journey for enterprise functions or in jobs in air transport since 2007.”

Marion Geoffroy, managing director of Wizz Air which is the largest operator at the airport, said she hoped the increased capacity would allow the company to grow.

“We are completely assured, wanting on the tendencies of the previous few years, that there can be sufficient demand for us to place extra capability in Luton airport,” she said.

Operators will be competing for the new space. Earlier this week, Jet2 began to offer routes for the first time, but Ms Geoffroy insisted “competitors is sweet”.

“Competition simply makes you higher. We are delighted the airport can supply extra capability, however we can be competing for certain.”

One of the concerns expressed by the examining authority that assessed the application for the Planning Inspectorate was disruption to the “relative tranquillity” of the Chilterns.

It is understood the expansion plan would mean a plane flying over the area up to once every 15 minutes, compared with once every half an hour currently.

Mr Kehoe, from Luton Rising, said the airport had introduced limits on noise and greenhouse gas emissions.

“We additionally consider that our Green Controlled Growth framework represents probably the most far reaching dedication to the sustainable operation of an airport ever put ahead within the UK,” he mentioned.