Airplane. Picture by Sean MacEntee @Flickr

Airport expansion plans could invade North Herts

By Laura Burge Thursday, October 6, 2011
10:47 AM

A COUNCIL is proposing to treble the number of people using Luton Airport a year, sparking fears that it could impact on land in North Herts.

Luton Borough Council (LBC), the main shareholder of London Luton Airport Limited (LLAL), is considering the airport’s future.

At an Executive meeting, it said that it wants to increase the annual passengers to 18 million - almost double the current number, with a view to increasing up to 30 million passengers a year later on.

The former plan - dubbed the Red Line scheme - would not require any works in Hertfordshire, but would lead to an increase in people using the county’s roads as well as more noise from additional flights across flight paths in the area, including Stevenage, Hitchin and Baldock.

The second plan, known as the Master Plan, would, by the borough council’s own admission, require development to the land to the east of Luton, which is within the North Herts boundary.

North Herts District Council councillor David Barnard, who has campaigned to keep the green belt from being built on in other development plans, said that if the airport was to increase its capacity, there would be serious implications for people in North Herts.

“18 million passengers is about double what they are doing at the moment,” said Cllr Barnard.

“You haven’t got all the transport that is required to service those plans, let alone all the passengers that have got to get to the airport using Hertfordshire roads. They aren’t built for it.

“The ‘Master Plan’ will extend into North Herts land. This is something that has not been sent to us.

“Quite simply, they (LBC) should not be talking about this without consulting their neighbours, who will mostly be affected. It will be people in Herts who will be majorly affected.

“It’s all very new to us. We’ve got to investigate and make a noise about it.”

LBC also agreed at its meeting to procure specialist advisors for planning, general engineering and overall project management.

It has described the matter as “timely and urgent”, and has said that is keen to act fast to avoid delaying the airport’s redevelopment.

Luton and District Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise (LADACAN) held a meeting last night (Wednesday) in relation to the proposals.

Spokesman Peter Hunt said: “It’s a bolt out of the blue. We have been here before and previously seen expansion plans.

“These things are always difficult. At the end of the day, it’s in an unusual place, not convenient for anybody. None of the problems that existed before have gone away.

“For certain groups, it will be potentially a bit of a nightmare.”

A LBC spokesman said that its first objective would be to consider the capacity that can be created within the existing airport boundary, estimated at 18 million.

The capacity that could be created in the future, if the airport were not constrained by its current boundary, will also be assessed.

Cllr Robin Harris, chairman of LLAL, added: “London Luton Airport is without doubt the single biggest asset owned by the people of Luton and it’s imperative for our future prosperity that the airport continues to grow to its full potential. This is about delivering jobs and economic growth not only to our town but surrounding areas as well.

“We believe the Government’s forecast significantly underestimates the contribution that London Luton Airport can make to the national, regional and local economy.

“Airport expansion will only take place if it is justified by market demand, and any proposals that are brought forward will be subject to the required consultation with all key stakeholders, including neighbouring local authorities.

“Impacts on the environment and traffic will also be fully evaluated as part of the process, to ensure the airport’s growth continues to be as sustainable and cost-effective as it always has been.”

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12 comments

Mabster, I’m not really having a pop at you but I feel your discomfort when someone tells you the truth. We live in a world where we want clean energy so long as the wind farm is blocking someone else’s view. We want cheap flights but then don’t like the idea of airports trying to claw back the discounts they give airlines by charging passengers for things that were once free. And most of us don’t like aircraft noise but we have no problems catching a flight late at night or early in the morning so someone else gets a disturbed night’s sleep.

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morganjeff

Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Is Mabster dating morganjeff…? Will Luton be used as Heathrows’ third runway…? Should LA be Earths first intergalactic UFO terminal…? Can LBC do anything with the words ‘West of Luton’…? Or is that where all the Councillors live….? Tune in next week for a bit more….Soap

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Bob

Wednesday, October 12, 2011
morganjeff, i fly from Stansted because the service is a lot better, freedom of choice has not been banned in this country yet, i dont think so anyway and as for flying over someone elses house i actually live directly under the flightpath for Luton Airport and do not have a problem with it so no i dont believe i am selfish for using a better service and i take offence to your comment suggesting that i am.

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Mabster

Wednesday, October 12, 2011
With taxation the UK has the third most expensive fuel on the planet. The ‘low cost’ airline model has virtually run its course with most of them making noises they will return to ‘how it used to be’ ….In the 5-10 yrs it would probably take to complete this huge expansion…how many by then, will be able to afford to get on a plane out of Luton? Or anywhere else come to that???

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Bob

Wednesday, October 12, 2011
The new road layout opened on 22nd September and I say again the congestion is no more and that includes 5:15 in the morning. So Mabster likes to fly from Stansted and fly over someone else’s house. A tad selfish aren’t we?

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morganjeff

Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Yes i do complain, its my right if i am not happy with something i have to pay for and to be honest i use Stansted when i can. As for no queues, i dropped some friends off at 5.15 on a friday morning only 3 weeks ago only to queue all the way from the roundabout, under the tunnel and into the terminal area, i suggest you get up a little earlier to see whats really happening. The airport should be a pleasant experience for many as it is the start of a holiday but sadly this isnt the case with Luton as soon as you enter the area it is heavy traffic followed by money grabbing schemes, £1.00 for 'Priority Drop Off' ? whats that about unless 'Priority' means, close to the terminal. and then just hope you have wheels on your luggage or its another £1.00 for a trolley.

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Mabster

Monday, October 10, 2011
The comments here by Mabster says it all. He and others complain about Luton yet they use the airport, which creates the demand. Also most road traffic comes from the M1 and not Hertfordshire roads, which will be 4 lanes in each direction all the way up to Milton Keynes from next year. Traffic congestion in the central area of the airport has now been fixed with a new road layout, which opened last month so there are no queues in the morning and plans are progressing to make the A505 three lanes from the M1, as the road heads towards the airport.

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morganjeff

Sunday, October 9, 2011
Is this the first signs of what is to come with the Localism Bill? Developers re-presenting projects now the roadblocks are being taken down..Decentralisation minister Greg Clark said: "New infrastructure is critical to the country's return to economic growth and we believe we must have a fast-track system for major projects - but it must be accountable." Doing what is best for developers..is not the same as what is best for the local community, where is your accountability to us?

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Bob

Saturday, October 8, 2011
Vast areas of land would have to be covered by car parks if the 30 million target is to be met and does the higher figure necessitate a second runway. This is in addition to the infrastructure issues like perhaps 'quadding' the M1 to J 10 and upgrading the 505 in residential areas. Nightmare - no thank you.

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patrick newman

Friday, October 7, 2011
Has anyone of these people been to Luton Airport recently, its a complete nightmare to get into and out of and they want to increase passenger numbers. i think a major rethink of the access would be a good start. oh, and if they do decide to try and encourage more passengers how about stopping charging for everything thats not bolted down, that would be a step in the right direction.

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Mabster

Thursday, October 6, 2011
Has anyone of these people been to Luton Airport recently, its a complete nightmare to get into and out of and they want to increase passenger numbers. i think a major rethink of the access would be a good start. oh, and if they do decide to try and encourage more passengers how about stopping charging for everything thats not bolted down, that would be a step in the right direction.

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Mabster

Thursday, October 6, 2011
"Spokesman Peter Hunt said: “It’s a bolt out of the blue. We have been here before and previously seen expansion plans."....Indeed so WHY are we here again? Surely LA can't be the only jewel in LBC's crown to exploit. It's not as though the global financial situation has improved since the last time, to justify the expansion..even LHR lost the 3rd runway battle.

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Bob

Thursday, October 6, 2011

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