The Government has signed off on the expansion of Luton Airport despite concerns about the environmental impact and a predicted increase in noise pollution.
The proposed expansion will see the airport’s capacity nearly double, rising from 18 to 32 million passengers per year.
Paul Kehoe CBE, independent chair of Luton Rising, the Luton Council company that owns the airport, welcomed the decision.
He said it would deliver up to 11,000 new jobs, additional annual economic activity of up to £1.5bn, and an additional £13m every year for communities and good causes.
London Luton Airport’s application for expansion was called in by the Government after it was rejected by the Planning Inspectorate.
The Planning Inspectorate said that while there were several benefits, these were ‘outweighed by the harms’, including the increase in noise, traffic and greenhouse gas emissions.
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