London Luton Airport plans for 1m more passengers approved

Plans to allow one million more passengers through the UK's fifth busiest airport have been approved by councillors. London Luton Airport would be able to handle 19 million people a year, up from 18 million, the local council, which owns the airport, said. Amendments to the current noise contours were also approved. Opponents said the airport was already failing to meet conditions and this would mean even more flights and noise. Earlier this year, the council's company London Luton Airport Ltd, which owns the airport, became Luton Rising to avoid confusion with London Luton Airport Operations, a separate private consortium which runs the airport day to day. Luton Borough Council said the planning application had come from the airport operator following a consultation and not Luton Rising, and the council's development management committee had granted planning permission "subject to conditions and a legal agreement". The decision had taken into account the authority's "local plan and national planning policy and guidance, and other material considerations", it added. The authority also said the application did not affect [Luton Rising's] long term proposals to increase capacity of the airport to 32 million per year, which would be determined by government, not the council.<br/>