Goodbye long term car park, goodbye to some of Wigmore Park, which could become in part a new long term car park and goodbye to Ocean Sky’s building, as the south stands come back into airline use.
The land where the old domestic terminal/ spectators area/ easyland is located has been pencilled in before as a site for a multi-storey car park if the short term car park became aircraft stands.
I guess the core strategy project 2030 will be dusted off. The 99 page document includes the following statements:
We intend to submit a planning application for Project 2030 – Phase 1 in early 2006, in line with proposals we published in our Development Brief 2001, which is available on our website at
London Luton Airport.
Phase 1 will involve the construction of additional aircraft stands, a terminal extension and associated piers, a multi-storey and surface car park, and extensions to the parallel taxiway. We intend to complete the majority of these works by the end of 2007.
This planning application represents our intention to make best use of existing capacity, and this process should be considered our formal pre-consultation on these proposals.
It is our intention to submit a second planning application for Project 2030 – Phase 2 in late 2006. This will be a major planning application of national importance and is illustrated in Figure 7.2.
Phase 2 will include the construction of a full-length, 3,000 metre replacement runway, a new south terminal, additional aircraft stands, a new fire station and visual control tower. The new south terminal will be accessed via a tunnel under the existing runway. The majority of passengers will access the terminal via a tracked transit system, which will connect to a new reception centre built on the site of the existing mid term car park. It is intended that the existing runway will be maintained for use during emergencies and whilst essential maintenance is completed on the replacement runway – similar to Gatwick today.
Option A
Extension of the existing 2,160 metre runway eastwards. Parallel taxiway Alpha would also be extended to service the full length runway. There would be no significant changes to the alignment of the airport access or to the location of the control tower or terminal building. Satellite piers and aprons would be developed to the east of taxiway Delta. The extended runway, new runway end safety area and associated lighting would push the runway further east, increasing the land take.
Option B
A southern parallel runway 250 metres to the south of the existing runway centreline. Again, there would be no significant changes to the alignment of the airport access or to the location of the control tower or terminal building. The existing runway would be retained as a parallel taxiway and used in the event of an emergency, or during essential maintenance, where possible. As with Option A, satellite piers and aprons would be extended to the east of taxiway Delta.
Option C
A minor re-alignment of Option B, providing a more south-west to north-east alignment, the eastern end of the runway being in the same place as with B, with the western end of the runway being approximately 470 metres south of the existing runway centreline. As with Option A, satellite piers and aprons would be extended to the east of taxiway Delta.
We decided to fully test this option, although The Future of Air Transport White Paper had already effectively removed it. This stated ‘There would be no advantage in a realigned runway in terms of economic benefits, and the environmental impacts would be similar to a runway on the existing orientation except that the total number of people within the 57dBA noise contour in 2030 is estimated to be lower (14,000 rather than 19,000). There appears to be no disagreement with the conclusions of the Civil Aviation Authority and National Air Traffic Services that the realignment of the Luton runway would require major changes in airspace for very little overall gain in capacity. On balance there does not appear to be a compelling argument for this option and we do not support it.’
Option D
A southern parallel runway approximately 950 metres south (centreline to centreline) of the existing runway centreline, and offset to the east by 330 metres. The distance south of the existing runway has been identified as the optimum topographical location, to minimise construction fill required. The immediate surrounding area consists of a series of hills and valleys.
Option D is positioned at the closest rational point to Option B without involving significant amounts of construction fill or impacting on Someries Castle. This option also has a significantly lower adverse impact in terms of aircraft noise and local air quality. Furthermore, it enables terminal and stand construction to take place in an alternative location to the old landfill site, east of taxiway Delta.
A full-length parallel taxiway would be provided north of the proposed runway, and the existing runway would be retained as an emergency and business aviation overspill runway, and for use during essential maintenance. With this option, a second terminal and satellite piers, a new air traffic control tower and associated infrastructure would be built south of the existing runway. The terminals would be linked by a reception centre and multi-modal interchange on the site of the existing mid-term car park.