St Albans News
Luton Airport starts six-week consultation period
2:10pm Monday 13th February 2012
A public consultation into plans to expand the capacity of Luton Airport, which will see millions of extra passengers passing through each year, will begin today.
The six-week consultation will outline the proposals to increase the airport’s capacity to 18 million passengers each year from its current maximum of 11.5 million.
More details about the proposals were announced this morning. The plans include a 3,000-vehicle multi-storey car park to replace the current short stay car park, and a redevelopment of the access roads into the terminal areas to cut down traffic bottlenecks.
London Luton Airport Limited’s lead officer Steve Heappey, who is organising the consultations, showed his enthusiasm to get the development underway.
He said: "We have been talking about the plans for some time and the opportunity to talk to individuals and hear their concerns is something we are looking forward to.
"The airport genuinely wants to be a good neighbour and needs to take into consideration its neighbours' views."
Bosses behind the new development believe the increase in capacity could create up to 6,000 new jobs, as well as bringing more business to the area.
Mr Heappey added: "There is an opportunity for Luton to grow - more people will be flying into the region and spending money.
"At a time when so many jobs are going it will bring much-needed jobs to the region.
"Some of the jobs will be specialist but the majority will be looking after people passing through the airport."
Many residents in the neighbouring areas, including Harpenden and Wheathampstead, have voiced concerns about the new plans, in particular regarding noise and road access.
A series of 13 public consultations, the first of which will be held today in Luton town centre, will give people the opportunity to have a look at detailed plans to get a better idea about what could happen and how it could affect them.
The consultation will visit Harpenden Public Halls on Saturday, February 25, and Wheathampstead Memorial Hall on March 1.
Following the meetings, the airport hopes to apply for planning permission in April.
The plans will then be put to the planning authority which will hold a formal consultation before making the final decision.