Minister gives go-ahead to Luton airport expansion despite advice to reject plan

Luton airport’s expansion plan has been approved by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander despite a recommendation she reject it.

The Cabinet minister gave the go-ahead to the Bedfordshire airport’s development consent order (DCO) application regardless of advice from the Planning Inspectorate that she should turn it down over environmental concerns.

The project is centred on raising the airport’s cap on annual passenger numbers from 18 million to 32 million by the mid-2040s, allowing its runway to be used for 77,000 more flights per year than it saw in 2024.

This is the 14th development consent order approved by this Labour Government, demonstrating we will stop at nothing to deliver economic growth and new infrastructure as part of our plan for change

Luton was the UK’s fifth busiest airport last year, with 16.9 million passengers travelling on 132,000 flights.

A Government source said: “The Transport Secretary has approved the expansion of Luton airport for its benefits to Luton and the wider UK economy.

“The decision overturns the Planning Inspectorate’s recommendation for refusal.

“Expansion will deliver huge growth benefits for Luton with thousands of good, new jobs and a cash boost for the local council which owns the airport.

“This is the 14th development consent order approved by this Labour Government, demonstrating we will stop at nothing to deliver economic growth and new infrastructure as part of our plan for change.”

DCOs are used to obtain permission for nationally-significant infrastructure projects.

One of the roles of the Planning Inspectorate – an executive agency of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government – is to consider applications and make recommendations to the relevant Secretary of State.

Luton airport’s DCO permits up to 209,000 flights per year.

The supposed economic argument for airport expansion has regularly been called into question, unlike the increased carbon emissions, exacerbation of the climate crisis and greater local noise and air pollution, which are certain

One of the concerns expressed by the examining authority which assessed the application for the Planning Inspectorate was disruption to the “relative tranquillity” of the Chilterns National Landscape.

It is understood the expansion plan would mean a plane flying over the area up to once every 15 minutes, compared with once every half an hour currently.

Expansion would involve increasing the size of its existing terminal and constructing a second terminal.

It would also require extending the Dart rail link to the second terminal, as well as new taxiways – which connect runways to terminals, hangars and other facilities – and parking facilities with access and charges based on a vehicle’s emissions.

Luton Council’s Luton Rising, which owns the airport, said “the benefits are clear” in terms of expansion, and Ms Alexander’s decision “enables us to continue detailed planning”.

The council estimates expansion would support around 12,000 new jobs in the area and provide an additional economic benefit of £1.6 billion per year.

The announcement comes less than a week after Vauxhall’s van-making factory in Luton was closed by parent company Stellantis, putting up to 1,100 jobs at risk.

Jenny Bates, air pollution and transport campaigner at Friends Of The Earth, said the decision to approve Luton airport’s application while multiple wildfire warnings are in place “beggars belief”.

She added: “The supposed economic argument for airport expansion has regularly been called into question, unlike the increased carbon emissions, exacerbation of the climate crisis and greater local noise and air pollution, which are certain.”

Wigmore Park, which adjoins the airport, would be destroyed as part of the plan.

It contains a veteran tree, which is a tree important for wildlife.

The airport is proposing to create “replacement open space” to the east, which is “at least 10% bigger” than the existing park.

The examining authority found there would be a “moderate adverse impact from the loss of habitat” for species such as bats, reptiles and mammals while replacement habitats mature.