Luton Airport's latest expansion plans to be examined at hearing

A hearing to set the wheels in motion to decide whether the sky is the limit for London Luton Airport expansion has started today (August 10).

The government’s planning inspectorate is holding a preliminary meeting to discuss the procedure for the London Luton Airport Limited (LLAL) application for an order granting development consent (DCO). This DCO for the expansion project would allow the borough council’s airport company to increase the capacity to 32 million passengers per annum.

Such progress would include building a second terminal, as well as making the best use of the single runway by adding extra taxiing capacity and aprons to park more aircraft. The hearing at the Riverside Suite at Venue 360 in Gipsy Lane is a stepping stone towards a planning inspectorate examination of a DCO to consider an application by LLAL, trading as Luton Rising.

The meeting will be followed by two initial open floor hearings, both at the same venue – the first this evening at 6.30pm, with the other on Friday 11th August from 10am.

Luton Rising describes the airport as “a linchpin of the regional economy, contributing over £1.1bn a year to the Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire economies, while supporting 27,000 jobs nationally”.

The company said on its website: “Our airport is the most socially impactful in the UK. Since 1998, we have contributed £257 million to support front line services and £155 million to help local community organisations and charities.

“The proposed expansion to 32 million passengers a year will generate thousands of extra jobs, and more than a £1 billion increase in economic activity in Luton and the neighbouring counties.”

It wants to extend the current terminal building initially to raise the capacity to 21.5 million passengers annually. This would include new self-service kiosks for check-in, more seating in the departure lounge and new hold baggage X-ray machines.

A second terminal building would be part of the next phase of development, although Luton Rising is aware it could be at least a decade before it opens.

Pressure groups and environmental organisations will be among those represented at the hearing, with some strongly objecting to airport expansion.

LADACAN is a community group representing people affected by airport noise and concerned about its growing impact on climate change, while Stop Luton Airport Expansion and the countryside charity CPRE also oppose its growth plans.

Speaking on behalf of LADACAN, Andrew Lambourne said: “This assessment of massive further expansion at an airport which has already doubled its capacity since 2012, is also an examination of government policy on carbon emissions and noise.”

Approval will mean the loss of a significant proportion of Wigmore Park, although any lost open space and habitats would be replaced with new scrub, meadow and woodland. Andrew continued: “It’s tragic that the councillors who run Luton Rising have been so obsessed with growing the airport they appear to have lost sight of the need for prudence. Having run up half a billion pounds of debt on projects such as the DART rail link, the interest payments alone will soak up much of the future revenue from the airport.

"How does that benefit the people of Luton?”

Luton Rising aims to provide a ten per cent larger replacement for the missing area. But opponents say that much of their community park is irreplaceable and that it would take years for an alternative site to mature into anything like the same ecological attraction.

The final decision on the DCO rests with the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Michael Gove.