Southampton Airport expansion recommended for approval

The airport plans to extend its runway by 164m (538ft)

Plans to lengthen the runway at Southampton Airport have been recommended for approval by council officers.

The airport wants to extend the runway by 164m (538ft) to facilitate the use of larger planes for holiday flights.

It has said it is "critical to the airport's survival" and refusal would put more than 2,000 jobs at risk.

Eastleigh Borough Council officers recommended councillors approve the plans at a meeting on 25 March.

Campaigners say Southampton is particularly vulnerable to aircraft noise pollution

However, council officers said planning permission would be subject to several conditions, which include restrictions on night-time flying, air quality and noise monitoring, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The council said the project was "inevitably controversial" and said officers had "carefully considered" the "high numbers of comments received both in favour and against".

Southampton City Council and local campaigners have previously objected on the grounds of climate change and noise.

The city council upheld its objection after the airport submitted revised plans which it said included "significant mitigation" to noise and environmental impacts.

Airport operations director Steve Szalay said the extension would generate millions of pounds for the local economy

Action group Airport Expansion Opposition (AXO) previously said more than 60,000 people would be exposed to increased noise from flights.

The airport previously said its existing runway was "one of the shortest in the UK" and inhibited the use of larger planes, such as Airbus 320 and Boeing 737.

The airport said its plans would generate an extra £240m for the local economy by 2037.

Eastleigh Borough Council said members of the public could apply by Friday to make short statements at the meeting, which would be streamed online.