Mid Bedfordshire MP Blake Stephenson has welcomed the job creation and economic growth the expansion to Luton Airport will bring after it was officially announced today (3rd April).
The Government has confirmed its decision to increase the airport’s capacity from 18 million to 32 million passengers a year, with new terminal capacity, additional taxiways and other transport infrastructure.
Local MP Blake has previously spoken in Parliament to highlight the economic and job creation benefits the expansion of the airport would bring, and its importance could be increased further if the proposed Universal Studios theme park at Kempston Hardwick gets the go-ahead in another boost for Bedfordshire.
Blake has also addressed environmental concerns through his work on the Environmental Audit Select Committee.
He said: “The expansion of Luton Airport is fantastic news for local jobs and economic growth, especially following the closure of Stellantis’ van-making factory and the challenges caused by the Chancellor’s Budget.
“It is expected to bring 11,000 jobs and add £1.5 billion to the economy and will help us grow our local tourism economy in Mid Bedfordshire and hopefully play a key role in attracting investment from Universal Studios, which itself would be worth £50bn to our local economy.
“I acknowledge that there are important environmental concerns that arise with airport expansion, which is why I recently proposed and secured an Environmental Audit Select Committee inquiry into the compatibility of airport expansion with environmental protections, a balance that the Government needs to and has promised to get right”.
The Environmental Audit Committee is currently accepting evidence for the inquiry into airport expansion and climate and nature targets: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/9061/airport-expansion-and-climate-and-nature-targets/
