Luton Airport expansion plans approved by transport secretary despite environmental concerns
3 April 2025, 14:08 | Updated: 3 April 2025, 14:39
Plans to double Luton Airport's capacity have been approved by the Transport Secretary despite advice calling for her to reject them.
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Heidi Alexander gave the go-ahead to the Bedfordshire airport’s development consent order (DCO) application despite advice from the Planning Inspectorate that she should turn it down over environmental concerns.
The project will raise the airport's annual passenger cap from 18 million to 32 million by the mid-2040s, allowing 77,000 more flights to take off there per year.
Luton was the UK’s fifth busiest airport last year, with 16.9 million passengers travelling on 132,000 flights.
“The Transport Secretary has approved the expansion of Luton airport for its benefits to Luton and the wider UK economy," a Government source said.
“The decision overturns the Planning Inspectorate’s recommendation for refusal.
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“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.”
As part of the plans, Luton will expand its existing terminal and construct a second.
The Dart rail link will also be expanded, as will taxiways, which connect tunways to terminals, hangers and other facilities.
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.
Before Ms Alexander announced her decision, the panning inspectorate called for the scheme to be axed over environmental concerns.
Campaign group Luton And District Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise opposed the expansion application, claiming it would “degrade health and quality of life”, and stating “aircraft noise at night is known to damage health”.
Wigmore Park, which adjoins the airport, would be destroyed as part of the plan.
The airport is proposing to create “replacement open space” to the east, which is “at least 10% bigger” than the existing park.
