Computer says ‘yes’ to Luton Airport vision

Weston Williamson’s proposals follow a report by think tank Policy Exchange last month, which called Luton the “next best option” after Heathrow for increasing airport capacity in the UK.

London Luton Airport Ltd will submit its own planning application next month for expanding capacity to 18 million a year.

But Weston Williamson director Rob Naybour said Luton was “a site with fantastic potential and connectivity”, and that a four-runway hub could solve London’s “aviation bottleneck”.

Its proposals follow designs from other firms for expansion at Stansted and a new ‘Boris Island’ airport in the Thames Estuary.

Included in the proposals are a link from the new terminals to Crossrail 2 and a new road link between the M1 and the A1.

It says the existing terminal would become a servicing/technical area, and that the expansion would mean a “minimal loss of homes”.

Practice founder Chris Williamson said: “Luton is the sensible location. Anyone coming from the north or Midlands can get there by car or the planned improved train links.

“We are currently working on Crossrail 2 and would advocate taking that into the heart of the airport.

“If you programmed a computer to position the best place for a world class airport, it would choose Luton.”

A spokesman for London Luton Airport Ltd said: “We are setting ourselves apart from this. We have consulted on our plans to expand to 18 million passengers a year and an application will be going in next month.”