A £100m expansion of Luton Airport has been given the green light this morning (Wednesday).

The work will increase annual passenger capacity from 12 million to 18 million by 2031, creating more than 5,000 jobs.

Final planning consent was given by Luton Borough Council – which owns the facility – after the Department for Communities and Local Government ruled in April that the planning application could proceed without being called in by the Government.

The construction work at London Luton Airport will take place over three phases and will include a larger, modernised terminal building to accommodate and equip up to 20 security passenger screening lanes, 15 immigration passenger screening lanes, up to eight international and one domestic passenger reclaim belts, increased retail, catering and seating areas.

The plans also include a new two-storey pier, a newly configured road system in front of the Central Terminal Area, a parallel taxiway to cater for an additional six million passengers a year from the existing runway and car parking facilities including a new multi-storey car park.

It will mean up to 55,000 more flights a year, increasing from 102,000 to 157,000 by 2028.

Clive Condie, executive chairman of London Luton Airport, said: “Our vision is for a vastly improved airport which plays a major role in providing more capacity in the London system.”

The approval follows the airport signing a 10-year deal in March with easyJet, the UK’s largest airline, which will more than double the number of easyJet passengers using the airport to more than nine million a year.

The airport is set to see a record number of passengers go through its terminal this year, with numbers expected to outstrip the previous high of 10.3m in 2008.