Have your say on airport expansion

The consultations, which run until August 31, gives everyone the opportunity to view the plans, speak to members of the expert project team and provide feedback.

London Luton Airport’s chief operating officer Robin Porter said: “The airport has a range of impact on the community, some positive some negative. Luton Council, as a shareholder, generates something around £27m of value from the airport.

“That’s important because that goes into providing vital services for Luton’s community, such as adult social care and supporting people in need.

“For every extra one million passengers Luton delivers something in the region of 800 jobs and roughly £76m to the sub-regional economy. There are on the flip side negative impacts to the airport, noise, air quality, increased congestion, and we recognise those.

“As part of this consultation we’ve put a range of measures in the document and we’re seeking people’s views on those measures.”

Luton residents Peter and Ann Cowan could see both sides of the argument. They have a son and daughter living either side of the flightpath and said if you’re out in the garden when an aircraft flies overhead it’s a conversation stopper.

“We’re not negative about the airport,” said Ann. “But they’ve got to get it right going forward.”

“The planes come into land quite rapidly, one after the other, as it is. How they will double the traffic I don’t know.”

And Peter said: “All the road traffic when the motorway grinds to a halt comes through Luton and causes chaos now.”