Luton airport expansion approved by government

London Luton Airport will see annual passenger numbers almost double to 32 million by 2043 after the government approved expansion plans.

It comes despite the Planning Inspectorate recommending Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander rejects them over environmental concerns.

Luton Rising, the airport’s owners, said the decision could bring “significant economic, employment and social benefits for our town”.

However, environmental campaigners said “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 last year, with 16.9 million people travelling on 132,000 flights.

The expansion plans involve building a new terminal, new taxiways and increasing capacity in the existing terminal, from its current 18 million passengers a year.

A government source said: “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.”

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 “additional annual economic activity of up to £1.5bn” and “up to an additional £13m every year 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 government has said it believes in local decision making, yet has ignored the 90% of residents, groups and councils which strongly opposed this application because they know it is out-of-keeping with the area.

“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 climate change worsening, the last thing any of us need is 70,000 more aircraft a year creating greenhouse gases and contrails.”

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

It said: “Airport expansion will do nothing to boost UK growth. There has been no net increase in air travel for business purposes 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 absolutely confident, looking at the trends of the last few years, that there will be enough demand for us to put more capacity 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 “competition is good”.

“Competition just makes you better. We are delighted the airport can offer more capacity, but we will be competing for sure.”

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 also believe that our Green Controlled Growth framework represents the most far reaching commitment to the sustainable operation of an airport ever put forward in the UK,” he said.