Luton Airport expansion causing turmoil amongst campaign groups
A consultation has been set up to gather public opinion
Last updated 17th Feb 2022
Proposals to expand Luton Airport have been met with criticism by local campaigning groups.
As part of a public consultation running until April, plans were released to expand Luton's terminal with future plans to build a second terminal later.
Other plans would be to increase passenger traffic through the airport to 32 million people per year, as well as making the best use of one runway.
But demonstrators from the 'Stop Luton Airport Expansion' campaign group have said that the proposal would ruin the lives of the local community.
In addition, expanding the airports capacity would mean destroying one of Luton's nature reserves.
Developers have said they have taken on feedback from a previous consultation in 2019, but campaigners say nothing has changed.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, Pete White from the 'Stop Luton Airport Expansion' said that the proposals are hidden behind jargon.
"Very little has changed from last time, and the general public are expected to go through 13,000 pages - most of which contain their favourite words; 'we might', 'we could', and 'possibly'," he said.
"The estate where I live and the ones on the east of Luton will be turned into an access road to Terminal 2.
"We will get the noise, we will get the pollution. We have to pay for the parking permits, because our roads were clogged with people working and flying from the airport," he added.
Greatest Hits Radio has reached out to Luton Rising, the owner of London Luton Airport, for comment about the concerns.
The proposals are available to the public, with anyone being able to have their say about the future of the airport.
You can see the proposals and how it will affect you by visiting the consultation's website.