London Stansted today launched a consultation on its long-term plan for sustainable growth at the airport over the next 20 years.
The Sustainable Development Plan (SDP) sets out how Stansted intends to make best use of the airport’s existing single runway and what it will do to maximise the social and economic benefits the airport brings to people and businesses locally. It also sets out how it will manage the impact of the airport’s operation on local communities to the 2040s. This includes:
Improvements to M11 Junction 8 to reduce congestion
Ensuring half of all passenger journeys are by public transport, to relieve pressure on local roads
Funds for local bus services, roads and measures to tackle fly-parking
Working with train operators to improve the Stansted Express
Airport infrastructure powered by 100% renewable energy helping to achieve Net Zero target requirement by 2038
Working with partners to nearly double the size of Stansted Airport College, to train more young people
As part of this plan, London Stansted is proposing to submit a planning application within the next few months to increase the airport’s annual passenger limit up to 51 million passengers. This will involve the airport growing further than its currently permitted 43 million passengers per year limit without any increase in the number of flights that the airport is already permitted to operate and within the existing airport boundary.
The airport’s ability to grow to serve up to 51 million passengers a year is a result of airlines planning to use larger models of modern, efficient aircraft than previously forecast, enabling more people to fly on each plane and meeting additional passenger demand with flight limits remaining unchanged.
The public consultation opens on Tuesday 4th February and will run until 10th March with a dedicated website www.backstanstedplan.co.uk set up so all those with an interest in the airport’s future are able submit responses and find out more details of the proposals.
This is in addition to the Stansted’s regular ongoing community engagement with a wide range of local and regional stakeholders.
Gareth Powell, London Stansted’s Managing Director, said:
“Stansted today serves 30 million passengers a year, and this number is forecast to grow over the next 20 years, so it’s only sensible to start making plans now. We recently announced a £1.1bn investment programme, including an extension to the existing terminal, and we’re very proud of the role we play locally, providing over 12,000 jobs and supporting thousands of young people through our extensive educational and training schemes.
“With up to 51 million passengers a year expected by the 2040s our plan puts in place the measures now to support growth in the future. It’s about making the best use of our single runway, providing education and training opportunities, managing our environmental impact and helping relieve the pressure on local roads.
“Over the next few weeks, we will be consulting with local residents, businesses and passengers on our plan ahead of submitting a planning application in the coming months.
“We understand the airport’s operation and growth is an important issue, especially for people living close to us, so the consultation is an opportunity to engage widely with our local community on how Stansted grows in the most sustainable and efficient way possible to make the best use of its existing capacity.”
