BREAKING: Luton Airport expansion plan gets the go ahead | Local News in Luton, Dunstable and Bedfordshire
RECOMMENDATIONS to expand Luton Airport have been supported by Luton council.
The Department for Communities and Local Government will now consider whether the application should be determined by the Secretary of State or whether the council can proceed to issue the consent for works to begin.
Construction will take place over three phases and will expand, modernise and remodel the terminal building to accommodate and equip up to 20 security passenger screening lanes and 15 immigration passenger screening lanes as well as building a new parallel taxiway to unlock capacity for an additional 6 million passengers a year from the existing runway.
The decision came after an intense 10 hour meeting, during which more than 30 representations against the proposals were heard.
Residents from Luton, as well as surrounding towns and villages expressed serious fears about increased levels of noise and a rise in the number of night flights.
However the meeting concluded with all councillors on the Development Control committee supporting the recommendations for airport expansion, with many branding it ‘the most difficult decision they have had to make’.
Commenting on the announcement, Glyn Jones, Managing Director of the Airport said: “We have committed to developing an Airport which everyone in the local area will be proud of, and passengers from all over the world will enjoy visiting. In the year of our 75th Anniversary this is an exciting milestone for all of us at the airport, the local area, and the millions of passengers who use us for business travel, to visit friends and family or to get away on holiday.”
Gavin Shuker, MP for Luton South also welcomed the news, adding: “This is a great day for the town, and a much needed boost for our local economy.
London Luton has returned over £210m in concession payments to the council since 1998, and it is good news for local taxpayers that these are set to increase between now and 2031 as the airport develops.”
The decision means that the passenger capacity of the airport can increase from 12 million to 18 million a year.
Luton Borough Council received 455 objections and 43 representations in support of the application, which involves construction of a multi-storey car park, road layout changes and taxiway extensions.