Flight International online news 09:30GMT: London Luton Airport has put forward draft plans for a full-length replacement runway and a new terminal, to be built in time for the 2012 Olympics Games.
Under its two-phase plan, the airport will initially concentrate developments on utilising its existing capacity.
This will feature construction of additional stands, a terminal extension and associated piers and car park development. The airport hopes to complete the majority of this work by the end of 2007.
The second phase, plans centre on a 3,000m (9,840ft) replacement runway. Of four options considered, the airport has identified a southern parallel runway as its preferred option. It says this provides the best opportunity for a “sustainable, energy-efficient” development.
The second phase will also include a new south terminal, additional aircraft stands, a new fire station and control tower.
The airport subscribes to the Government’s estimates that passenger numbers at Luton will more than treble from 9 million today to 30 million by 2030.
It has carried out its own work to test the robustness of these figures, and has concluded that, if allowed to develop unconstrained, Luton could reach 30 million-passenger mark by 2020 and 35 million by 2035..
GRAHAM DUNN/LUTON
Source: Flight International
