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Luton airport allowed to double capacity after UK government overrules planners Luton airport allowed to double capacity after UK government overrules planners
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Transport secretary Heidi Alexander grants consent to London’s fourth-biggest airport to allow potential 32m passengers a yearTransport secretary Heidi Alexander grants consent to London’s fourth-biggest airport to allow potential 32m passengers a year
Luton Airport will be allowed to almost double in capacity after the government overruled planning inspectors who recommended blocking the scheme on environmental grounds. Luton airport will be allowed to almost double in capacity after the government overruled planning inspectors who recommended blocking the scheme on environmental grounds.
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander granted the development consent order for the airport’s plans to expand its perimeter and add a new terminal, allowing a potential 32 million passengers a year. The transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, granted a development consent order for the airport’s plans to expand its perimeter and add a new terminal, allowing for a potential 32 million passengers a year.
The approval comes despite specific concerns raised about ancient trees and the impact of more flights on the Chilterns, an area of outstanding natural beauty. The approval comes despite concerns raised about ancient trees and the impact of more flights on the Chilterns, an area of outstanding natural beauty.
However, Labour sources said that the promise of thousands of additional jobs had outweighed environmental considerations. Labour sources, however, said the promise of thousands of additional jobs had outweighed environmental considerations.
Luton airport is also ultimately owned by the local council, meaning that a greater share of its profits are put back into local services.Luton airport is also ultimately owned by the local council, meaning that a greater share of its profits are put back into local services.
It has promised a “green controlled-growth mechanism”, which includes legally binding targets on noise and emissions, as well as public transport access to the airport. It has promised a “green controlled-growth mechanism”, which includes legally binding targets on noise and emissions, and public transport access to the airport.
A government source said: “The transport secretary has approved the expansion of Luton airport for its benefits to Luton and the wider UK economy.A government source said: “The transport secretary has approved the expansion of Luton airport for its benefits to Luton and the wider UK economy.
“The decision overturns the Planning Inspectorate’s recommendation for refusal. 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. “The decision overturns the Planning Inspectorate’s recommendation for refusal. 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 approved by this Labour government, demonstrating we will stop at nothing to deliver economic growth and new infrastructure as part of our ‘Plan for Change’.” “This is the 14th development consent order approved by this Labour government, demonstrating we will stop at nothing to deliver economic growth and new infrastructure as part of our ‘plan for change’.”
Last year, 16.7 million people used the airport, the fourth largest in the London area and a base for a number of leisure airlines. About 16.7 million people used the airport last year. It is the fourth largest in the London area and a base for a number of leisure airlines. It is
The airport is also well situated for the Oxford-Cambridge arc championed by the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, for future economic growth. also well situated for the Oxford-Cambridge arc championed by the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, for future economic growth.
The approval comes less than a week after Vauxhall’s van-making factory in Luton was closed by its parent company, Stellantis, putting as many as 1,100 jobs at risk.
The airport claims to have majority local support for the expansion plan, although opponents cite the destruction of an adjacent park amid wider climate and noise concerns.
Paul Kehoe, the chair of Luton Rising, the council’s airport-owning company, said: “Our scheme will deliver up to 11,000 new jobs, additional annual economic activity of up to £1.5bn, and up to an additional £13m every year for communities and good causes.”
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The airport claims to have majority local support for the expansion plan, although opponents cite the destruction of an adjacent park amid wider climate and noise concerns. He said the environmental limits in its application made it “the most far-reaching commitment to the sustainable operation of an airport ever put forward in the UK”, and that its own polling showed five times more support than opposition for the plans.
More details to follow … The airport’s existing terminal will be enlarged again and a second terminal will be built. The Dart rail link, which opened in 2023, will also be connected to the second terminal, with new taxiways for aircraft and parking facilities added.
Campaigners says the expansion will not bring growth while damaging the environment. The New Economics Foundation’s senior economist, Alex Chapman, said: “Expansion at Luton will see another 8 million UK residents taking their money overseas on holiday instead of spending it on UK high streets.
“If this government is so desperate for growth, it should focus on investing properly in the vital public services upon which the health of our economy really depends.”
David Oakley-Hill of Luton Friends of the Earth said the group was extremely disappointed that Alexander had ignored Labour’s own tests on emissions and noise for airport expansion.
He said: “Increased flights and traffic will bring far more pollution, cause ill-health and early deaths for many residents, gridlock the east of the town and destroy Wigmore Park – a vital noise and pollution barrier between the airport and people’s homes.”