The UK government has approved London City Airport’s plan to increase passenger numbers by almost a third, prompting anger from environmentalists who say it will increase carbon emissions.
The airport was seeking to increase capacity to 9 million passengers a year from 6.5 million by 2031. A document published on the government website on Monday said the following:
The Secretaries of State agree with the Inspectors’ conclusions, and agree with their recommendation. They have decided to grant planning permission, subject to revised conditions that maintain the existing Saturday curfew period.
The decision is one of the first major infrastructure planning decisions taken by the new Labour government elected in July. Since taking office, ministers have promised to streamline planning processes and boost construction across all sectors, but have been forced to cancel some projects due to funding shortfalls.
London City Airport said it welcomed the increase in the passenger cap but was disappointed that the government did not approve the extension of Saturday opening hours, saying it would force airlines to be slower to introduce cleaner and quieter aircraft. A government spokesperson said in a statement:
We are committed to securing the long-term future of the aviation sector in the UK while protecting our environmental obligations.
Environmental think tank Green Alliance said the decision was disappointing and set a worrying precedent for the new government, although a local group said the scrapping of Saturday afternoon flights was a big win for residents.
The plan was originally rejected in July 2023 by Newham Council, which governs the area where the airport is located, due to a number of objections such as the potential impact of the expansion on climate, air quality and noise.
The New Labour government has said it wants to take a “growth focused” approach to the planning system and the decision is likely to test how it handles environmental concerns. The government’s independent watchdog, the Committee on Climate Change, has said airport expansion at present is incompatible with the UK’s goal of achieving net zero by 2050.
While the government has said the airport should retain its existing 24-hour weekend rest period from 12.30 p.m. on Saturday to 12.30 a.m on Sunday, airlines will be able to operate an additional three flights in the mornings until 7 a.m.
The additional three flights will be limited to newer and quieter aircraft such as the Airbus SE A220 and Embraer SA E2.
