London City Airport today (July 27) received planning permission from the UK government for its proposed £344m (US$450m) development program, which will enable the airport to welcome up to 6.5 million passengers by 2025.
The major features of the City Airport Development Programme (CADP) include the expansion of the current terminal, the construction of seven new aircraft stands and the extension of the parallel taxiway.
Philip Hammond, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, aviation minister, confirmed the government’s approval of the scheme during a visit to the airport.
City Airport’s development plans had previously been quashed by former London Mayor Boris Johnson, despite the airport receiving planning permission from Newham Council.
Declan Collier, CEO, London City Airport, said, “Today, the new government has shown it is ready to act in the best interests of the British economy. Expansion at London City Airport will create more than 2,000 new jobs in East London, add much-needed aviation capacity in the Southeast, and generate an additional £750m (US$980m) per year for the UK economy.
“As the airport serving by far the highest proportion of business travelers in the UK (52%), who do some £11bn (US$14bn) of trade in Europe annually, the government has sent a strong message that London and the UK are very much open for business. I welcome the decision and look forward to delivering new airport capacity for the Southeast by 2019.”
Commenting on the news, Stewart Wingate, CEO, London Gatwick Airport, said, “The expansion of City Airport is great news for the national economy and will generate welcome competition between the network of airports serving the Southeast – delivering more choice and cheaper fares for consumers.
“Today’s quick decision demonstrates what can be done when an expansion scheme that is deliverable is chosen. The Southeast however desperately needs even more airport capacity and only Gatwick can deliver it because our plans are simple, low risk and are better for the environment. Unlike London Heathrow, Gatwick expansion would also be entirely privately financed and does not need a £5bn (US$6.5bn) public subsidy to put the M25 into tunnels or pay for new rail links.”