London Stansted Airport has submitted plans to increase its annual passenger limit to 51 million over the next 20 years.

Its planning application to Uttlesford District Council seeks permission to make more use of its existing single runway by the 2040s without any increase in the number of flights.

If approved, the airport says the expansion will make way for 4,500 new jobs, improvements to the M11, J8 and fund local bus services, roads and help with parking issues.

It also aims to improve the Stansted Express service, ensure its airport infrastructure is powered by 100 per cent renewable energy while doubling the size of its airport college to train more young people.

Consultation in recent months has involved local people, businesses and passengers. There has been a social media campaign and hundreds of one-to-one conversations.

More than 2,800 people across the area responded to the consultation, with almost 2,000 people backing Stansted’s plan.

Managing director of London Stansted Gareth Powell said: “We’ve listened carefully to all the feedback from our neighbours, which has helped shape our plans to grow London Stansted in the most sustainable and responsible way possible.

“We have already kicked off our five-year £1.2 billion investment programme to transform the airport, and if this application is approved, we will be able to unlock even more local opportunities and improvements over the next 20 years.

“Making the best use of our existing runway will help create more jobs and training schemes, better facilities for passengers and provide more seats to an even greater choice of destinations.

“We have an exciting and ambitious vision for London Stansted and how we best serve our region, so I’m asking for local people to lend their support so we can make this plan a reality.”

Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

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