New pictures show what £1.1bn Stansted Airport expansion could look like
New pictures have revealed what a £1.1bn expansion of one of Britain's busiest airports could look like.
More details were announced on Monday about the investment programme to improve Stansted Airport, including a £600m extension of the existing terminal building to add new shops, bars and restaurants.
Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which owns the Essex airport, made the announcement at the government's International Investment Summit and said the project would create up to 5,000 new on-site jobs.
Planning permission was obtained in October last year - following a process which had sparked fierce local opposition - and construction is due to begin in 2025. It is expected to take between two and three years to complete.
The expansion will include an on-site 14-megawatt solar farm, new seating areas and a bigger security hall.
The Department for Transport said the scheme was “in line with previously agreed passenger and flight numbers”, as MAG said Stansted had served 29.3 million passengers in the year to September 2024 - the busiest 12-month period in the airport’s history.
MAG chief executive Ken O’Toole said: “By investing more than £1bn in Stansted over the next five years, we will be able to connect people and businesses in London and the east of England to even more global destinations, while welcoming millions more visitors to the UK.
“We are proud to be investing in our infrastructure in a way that will create jobs and stimulate trade, investment and tourism.
“Aviation is an essential enabler of the success of the UK’s key high-value industries, and we look forward to helping the government achieve the highest sustained growth in the G7 through the sustainable growth of our airports.”
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said: “We have been steadfast in our commitment to help British businesses grow and in turn boost the UK’s economy.
“This announcement is a clear signal that Britain is open for business.
“Transport is central to this government’s core mission of growing the economy.
“This is about giving companies like Manchester Airports Group the confidence to invest, boosting regional and national economic growth, and supporting the aviation sector while also meeting our existing environmental obligations.”
The expansion of Stansted Airport has long been opposed by local campaigning groups, with Stop Stansted Expansion - now Stansted Airport Watch - comparing the scale to Gatwick Airport.
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