Luton Airport: Plans to increase capacity by one million approved

The airport has been pursuing plans to expand to accommodate more passengers

An airport's plans to increase passenger capacity have been approved.

London Luton Airport Operations Limited (LLAOL) applied to increase passenger numbers from 18 million to 19 million per year.

Luton Borough Council's development management committee initially gave approval, but the decision was then reviewed by the government.

Critics said the plans amounted to "mismanaged development" and people had "lost faith in the planning process".

This is the latest step in a long-running campaign by the airport to grow - ultimately to 32 million passengers each year.

In 2013, LLAOL received permission to expand capacity to 18m passengers a year, over a 15-year period to 2028.

But by 2019 it had already reached the 18 million mark.

In December 2021, permission for the extra one million passengers was given by Luton Borough Council, which owns the airport.

The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Secretary of State for Transport agreed a local inquiry should be held.

That inquiry concluded planning permission should be granted, and the Secretaries of State both agreed with its conclusion.

London Luton Airport said it was "excited that this positive decision" would provide "the platform for the airport's future success" - saying it would create "significant employment and economic benefits to the local region".

The DART service connects the airport terminal with Luton Airport Parkway station

The panel considered several issues, including how the plans meet the challenge of climate change, noise impact on health, air quality, and sustainable transport.

But some local groups felt the ongoing expansion will cause local pollution - both noise and air - and increased carbon emissions.

Andrew Lambourne, from community group Luton And District Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise (LADACAN), said: "We're disappointed that planning policy has so few teeth against mismanaged development of the kind which occurred here, when expansion ran well ahead of the known rate of aircraft noise and emissions reduction."

He said the planning inspectors had "acknowledged that local people lost faith in the planning system as a result", but is pleased the airport will have to produce a noise reduction strategy.

Mr Lambourne added: "The urgent advice from the Climate Change Committee remains that we need to reduce aviation expansion, not increase it."

Pete White, of Stop Luton Airport Expansion, said the government decision was "disappointing" and did not "address the real-time local issues" of "breaching of noise contours" and affecting the "quality of life" of people who live near the airport.

Alberto Martin, chief executive of London Luton Airport, said: "We are delighted that the two secretaries of state have reached their long-awaited decision, which now ensures London Luton Airport is well positioned to secure its economic future and continue to deliver for our passengers and our local communities."

"This plan is consistent with our commitment to achieve carbon neutrality for our own operations by 2026 and to achieve net zero emissions by 2040."