Expansion plans approved
09.10.08
London City Airport has been granted planning permission to increase its take-offs and landings by around 50%. Despite residents' fears of increased noise, the number of flights will increase from 80,000 to 120,000, although the airport is unlikely to see much growth in the next two years.
The airport, which mainly operates business flights for the financial services industry in the City and Canary Wharf, has grown rapidly in recent years with passenger volumes rising by more than 20% a year in both 2006 and 2007. It was getting close to its existing limit of 80,000 movements a year, but last night the local planning authority, the London Borough of Newham, approved a 50% increase to 120,000 movements annually.
Although growth in both commercial passenger numbers and corporate jet movements has been hit by the turmoil in global financial markets, passenger traffic is still forecast to rise from 2.9m to 3.2m this year. Passengers are expected to be flat until 2010 but as growth resumes the airport expects the higher limit on flight numbers to allow passenger numbers to rise to more than 3.9m with the number of jobs at the airport increasing by 1000 to more than 3000.
There are no plans to change the airport's operating hours, so it will continue to close at night and for 24 hours over the weekend. Newham council also rejected its application to increase early morning movements.
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