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Air travel is really taking off in the UK in 2025. London is set to be the epicentre for this new frontier of airports, with Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton all due for massive expansions.
Now, the plans for Luton are have been officially given the green light, as the government has approved plans to build a second terminal at the transport hub north of London.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander approved the proposals as the airport hopes to double its annual passenger numbers to 32 million by 2043. The expansion would see a new terminal, new taxiways and an increased capacity for the existing terminal which currently sees 18 million passengers pass through every year. In 2024 the plane hub was the fifth busiest in the UK, with 16.9 million people passing through on 132,000 flights.
Luton’s growth has already begun, as this month Jet2 will launch 17 new routes from the airport, with seats for up to 430,000 passengers.
But what does all this mean for the environment? Many critics have said that multiple airport expansions in the UK are at odds with the government’s goals to be net zero by 2050.
The approval for a second terminal has come after the Planning Inspectorate recommended that they should be rejected over environmental concerns. The inspectorate was also concerned that a bigger airport would have adverse effects on the surrounding Chilterns national landscape during construction.
However, the government is keen to push on with the Luton project as it will help to grow the economy. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the BBC: ‘Improving our national infrastructure is critical to achieving growth and delivering jobs across the country, and this decision will help us deliver growth as part of our plan for change.
‘This step underlines the government’s commitment to unlocking vital infrastructure and backing growth.’
Read more about the future of London’s airports, including a third Heathrow runway, here.
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