Government’s Luton airport go-ahead may not aid Gatwick or Heathrow

The government gave a go-ahead to Luton airport expansion in early April despite a Planning Inspectorate recommendation that “the adverse environmental impacts would outweigh the economic and consumer benefits”.

But the grounds for the decision, that Luton’s plans make best use of its existing runway, suggest government consent for expansion at Gatwick and Heathrow can’t be guaranteed.

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander granted consent for a new terminal at Luton which is due to increase capacity from 18 million to 32 million passengers a year.

She rejected the Planning Inspectorate’s recommendation against expansion, deciding “the economic and consumer benefits . . . would outweigh the adverse environmental impacts”.

The secretary of state considered that “the need, capacity and socio-economic benefits carry decisive weight in the planning balance”.

But, in explaining the decision, the transport secretary noted the fact that Luton’s proposal “makes best use of its existing runway” – as opposed to requiring an “extension of the existing or a new runway” – carried “great weight”.

Gatwick expansion requires extending an existing runway used as a taxiway and in emergencies, while Heathrow’s expansion will involve constructing a new third runway.

Alexander also noted Luton’s application “made challenging demand forecasts” and acknowledged “considerable uncertainty and downside risks” that the forecasts in the airport’s planning application “were likely to be too high and the economic benefits may have been overstated”.

The Aviation Environment Federation (AEF) labelled the decision “a dangerous gamble with the climate”, pointing out the government’s stance “is at odds with the planning inspectorate’s recommendation to refuse permission on environmental grounds”.

The AEF noted the recommendations of the Climate Change Committee, which advises the government, is that “passenger numbers should grow no more than 2% by 2035”.

AEF director Tim Johnson suggested: “There is currently no credible pathway to decarbonise flying in the near term. Allowing further expansion before we have an answer on how to reduce the sector’s climate impacts is putting the cart before the horse.”

The consent remains subject to a judicial review if an application is made within six weeks of the decision.

Luton Airport submitted its new terminal plans in February 2023 and the Planning Inspectorate made its recommendations to the government in May 2024, with a decision delayed first by the June general election and then by the change of transport secretary last November.