Stansted expansion: High Court action over airport plans fails

The Department for Transport has said it supports airports increasing the use of existing runways

A campaign group's bid to have the Transport Secretary rule on Stansted Airport expansion plans has been rejected in the High Court.

Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) applied for judicial review of the decision to allow Uttlesford District Council (UDC) to rule on plans to increase the airport's capacity in 2018.

Stansted welcomed the decision.

The council has since rejected the plans to increase passenger numbers to 43 million, going against advice.

The airport, which currently has a capacity for 35 million passengers, has said it is considering its next move following the vote in January.

Originally the council approved the plan, but after the Residents for Uttlesford group took control from the Conservatives in May the decision was referred back to the committee.

'Money wasted'

A spokesman for Stansted said it welcomed the "unequivocal dismissal" of the appeal and that it confirmed what they had said all along.

He said: "It is deeply regrettable that a significant amount of taxpayers' money has been wasted in this way."

He added the airport, which claims the expansion would not involve any additional flights, was disappointed by the recent UDC decision to refuse the application and would be taking it into account while considering its next steps.

Stansted expansion plans would see passenger numbers increase to 43 million annually

SSE chairman Peter Sanders said the council's rejection of the proposals had "demonstrated the resolve" he hoped would be shown in the future.

He said: "We are currently considering our options because there are different procedures to be followed depending on whether this application ends up being dealt with through the traditional appeal process of a public inquiry or is designated as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project."

He said the latter would be cheaper for the council and campaign group.