Stansted Airport expansion: Uttlesford council offers £2m legal costs

Stansted Airport plans to increase passenger capacity to 43 million per year

A district council has made an improved offer of £2.05m to Stansted Airport to cover its legal costs following a battle in the High Court.

The international airport won an appeal against Uttlesford District Council in 2021, allowing it to increase passenger capacity to 43 million per year.

The airport, in Essex, rejected the council's previous offer of £1.4m.

Stansted Airport said "we welcome this positive step forward by Uttlesford District Council".

The offer, which included £50,000 in interest, was voted through by councillors at a meeting on Thursday night.

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Councillors from the Residents for Uttlesford (RfU), which runs the administration, said they hoped the offer would bring an end to the saga.

John Lodge, who was RfU leader during the legal battle, said: "£2m is a lot of money and I absolutely do regret that, but I do not regret putting up the strongest fight possible."

However, opposition councillors criticised the administration over the legal case.

Vere Isham, a councillor from the Liberal Democrat and Green Alliance, said: "What a sad day this is for Uttlesford.

"It seems we have no realistic option other than to vote for, or abstain, on this costly proposal."

An artist's impression of the new arrivals terminal planned at Stansted

Uttlesford councillors met at the local authority's offices in Saffron Walden on Thursday

Conservative group leader George Smith, said: "This is a heavy financial loss to the council and £2m to the airport could be better spent on a sports pitch in Stansted, or even in aid of our climate change agenda by helping people get better insulation in their houses."

The airport asked the council for £2.2m earlier this month.

If the offer is accepted, it will wipe out the council's Strategic Initiative Fund and eat away at £437,000 from its reserves.

A Stansted Airport spokesperson said: "We welcome this positive step forward by Uttlesford District Council and we await receipt of the official offer before commenting further."