Danny Fullbrook
BBC News, Bedfordshire
Luton rising
Expansion plans include a new terminal
London Airport Luton will see the annual passenger numbers almost double to 32 million by 2043 after the government has approved the expansion plans.
This occurs despite the planning inspection recommending that the transport secretary Heidi Alexander rejects them on environmental concerns.
Luton Rising, the owners of the airport, said that the decision could bring “important economic, economic and social benefits for our city”.
However, environmental activists have declared “with climate change that worsens, the last thing we need is 70,000 more aircraft per year”.
BBC / Danny Fullbrook
The owners of London Luton Airport think that the expansion program will generate 11,000 new jobs
The plans are to build a new terminal, new traffic lanes and an increasing capacity in the existing terminal of its 18 million current passengers per year.
A government source said: “Expansion will provide enormous growth advantages to Luton with thousands of good jobs of new jobs and an increase in cash for the local owner of the airport.
“This is the 14th development consent order approved by this Labor government, demonstrating that we will stop you to provide economic growth and new infrastructure within the framework of our change plan.”
The expansion decision had been delayed three times – more recently, so Alexander could have more time to consider the demand.
Paul Kehoe, independent president of Luton Rising, which belongs to the Luton Borough Council, said that up to 11,000 new jobs would be created, as well as “additional annual economic activity from up to 1.5 billion pounds Sterling” and “up to 13 million pounds additional sterling each year for communities and good causes”.
BBC / Janine Machin
The airport wants to increase passenger capacity to 32 million per year
Andrew Lambourne of the Ladacan campaign group, who opposed the expansion, said the government had ignored the local population.
He said: “The government said he believed in local decision -making, but ignored 90% of residents, groups and advice that firmly opposed this request because they know that he is out of goalkeeper with the region.
“People living under the flight trajectory are already at risk of damage caused by health after being awakened by night flights, so adding 70% more is inhuman.
“And with the climate change that worsens, the last thing we need is 70,000 more planes per year creating greenhouse gases and trails.”
BBC / Janine Machin
Airport operators will compete on the new capacity of passengers, including Easyjet, based in Luton,
Marion Geoffroy, director general of Wizz Air, who is the largest operator of the airport, said that she hoped that the increase in capacity would allow the company to develop.
“We are absolutely confident, examining the trends of recent years, that there will be enough demand for us to put more capacity at Luton airport,” she said.
The operators will be in competition for the new space. Earlier this week, Jet2 began to offer routes for the first time, but Ms. Geoffroy insisted that “the competition is good”.
“Competition makes you better. We are delighted that the airport can offer more capacity, but we will compete for sure.”
