London City Airport has submitted a planning application for a £200 million expansion that will create 500 construction jobs as well as 1,500 permanent jobs locally.
Airport owners Global Infrastructure Partners, also owners of Gatwick and Edinburgh airports, submitted their application on Thursday to Newham Borough Council. Passenger numbers are expected to double to six million with 120,000 flight movements over the next ten years – which permission was granted for in 2009 - if the expansion goes ahead.
The construction plan does not involve a new runway or any runway extension, but includes a terminal extension, additional and enlarged parking stands to the east of the existing airport buildings to accommodate larger aircraft, a new taxi lane to allow more efficient runway optimisation at busy periods.
The airport says it has also made submissions to the Airports Commission, or Davies Commission, which was set up in 2012 to make recommendations to the government on airport capacity in the south east of England. Chairman Howard Davies has promised a shortlist of ‘credible’ options for expanding capacity by December.
Eleven airlines already use the airport, serving 48 destinations. Airport Chief Executive Officer Declan Collier says the expansion is vital for the on-going development of the Royal Docks and the east of London. He said: ‘Increasingly this area is a focus for foreign investment. The recent announcement by ABP of its intention to build a multi million pound business park in Royal Albert Dock is one such example, and the connectivity to business centres across Europe, Eastern Europe and the Middle East that the airport provides, or will provide in the future, is central to this continuing.’
