Background for the London Luton Airport proposed expansion
London Luton Airport wishes to increase its capacity, using the existing runway to handle 32 million passengers per year by 2043, up from its current limit of 18 million passengers per year. This includes expanding the current terminal (terminal 1) and building a new terminal (terminal 2) and associated facilities.
The proposals would include:
- additional capacity within the existing terminal
- a new second terminal
- additional taxiways
- multi-storey short-stay / mid-stay car parking close to the terminal
- mid and long-stay parking
- bus station, taxi ranks and Luton DART (direct air to rail transport)
- support buildings
- surface access and road changes
The proposals do not involve new flight paths.
Public consultation
Recent consultation (April 2022)
Luton Rising, the owner of Luton Airport, undertook a statutory consultation between 8 February and 4 April 2022 in relation to the proposed expansion of Luton Airport.
The consultation related to the latest proposals and included extensive background studies into the environmental and other impacts of the proposals. Feedback on the representations received during the 2019 consultation was included within the consultation material.
Members of the public were able to see the proposals and ask questions at 13 in-person consultation events. There was also a virtual room that re-created the in-person experience online and was available 24 hours a day throughout the consultation period.
For the latest information on the proposals please visit Luton Airport's website.
Our response
Our response to statutory consultation (PDF)
Cover letter on behalf of the host authorities (PDF)
Joint response to statutory consultation (PDF)
Joint review of statutory consultation documents (PDF)
Joint review of statutory consultation documents – traffic and transport (PDF)
Joint review to statutory consultation – Appendix A (PDF)
Joint response to statutory consultation – Appendix B (PDF)
Previous consultations
Luton Airport held a first round of public consultation on its proposals in summer 2018, followed by a statutory public consultation from October to December 2019, with public events held in locations around the airport and within Central Bedfordshire.
In 2019, we submitted a response to the consultation, alongside a joint technical response provided by WSP and Vincent & Gorbing who were commissioned by to undertake a review of the statutory consultation documents on behalf of the four host authorities:
- Central Bedfordshire Council
- Hertfordshire County Council
- North Hertfordshire District Council
- Luton Borough Council
The responses submitted in December 2019 are available to view below: