Stansted Airport is to go out to public consultation over its plans to increase the number of passenger and cargo flights, and will visit Buntingford on 25 October.

The BAA Stansted exhibition will be at the Buntingford Community Centre from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm on Tuesday 25 October 2005.

After visiting 27 different locations in the area with the exhibition, Stansted will ask Uttlesford District Council (which covers the area around Saffron Walden, including the airport) for planning permission to lift the present limits on the number of passenger and cargo flights, to increase car parking and hotel accommodation, and to make road changes.

Although Buntingford is not directly affected by aircraft taking off and landing, the town is about halfway between Stansted and Luton airports, which share common airspace, and the increase in aircraft movement over the town during the holiday season is already noticable.

While continuing to operate on the existing runway, Stansted expects to apply for planning permission for a second 'full length' (read 'big planes') runway in 2007, and to have it built and operational by 2013.

[posted 26 August 2005]