Herts County Council welcomes delay to Luton Airport expansion amid 'serious concerns'

Hertfordshire County Council issued the statement after London Luton Airport Limited (LLAL) announced they will not be submitting an expansion proposal to the government in June 2020, as originally planned.

LLAL is instead revising its scheme with a view to making the airport "one of the most sustainable as well as socially conscious airports in the UK".

A revised bid is scheduled to be made in 2021, proposing to increase the airport from 18m passengers per year to 32m.

Cllr Derrick Ashley, portfolio holder for planning and infrastructure at Herts County Council, said: “I very much welcome Luton Airport’s decision to delay submitting their expansion application and to instead look again at the environmental and sustainability concerns around the proposals.

"We have serious concerns about the environmental impact of expanding the airport, including the impact of aircraft noise on neighbouring communities.

"I hope that the airport will also use this time to look at how an extra 14 million passengers a year will actually get to the airport without this causing serious problems on the roads.

“This delay presents us with an opportunity for some strategic direction from the government, in the form of its forthcoming new national aviation strategy.

"That strategy will need to address the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the government’s net zero greenhouse gas emissions target, the delay to Heathrow’s third runway, and government’s environmental expectations of the aviation industry.

"I strongly believe that the growth of Luton Airport beyond its currently permitted operations should be put on hold until this strategic direction from government is in place.

“Crucially, local communities and key stakeholders need to be engaged and I look forward to the airport providing clarity on how this is going to happen.”

In its response to the LLAL's public consultation, Herts County Council called for clarity on how the scheme and indeed the growth proposals of other airports such as Heathrow and Gatwick can be consistent with the government's commitment to a target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The government is currently preparing a new national aviation policy, which is expected to provide some clarity on airport growth and climate change.