Victoria Collins MP responds to government’s decision to approve Luton airport expansion

Responding to reports that the Secretary of State for Transport has approved the expansion of Luton Airport, from 18 million to 32 million passengers per year, despite advice from the Planning Inspectorate to refuse the expansion. Victoria Collins, MP for Harpenden & Berkhamsted, said:

“This decision is, undoubtedly, a major blow for our local community. It’s set to raise noise pollution levels for local residents, add pressures to our infrastructure and inhibit the fight against the climate crisis, in a move experts have already suggested won’t improve growth.

“This could have been an opportunity for the government to show their commitment to achieving net zero by 2050, if not by refusing the expansion altogether but at least introducing a framework to control emissions before committing to it - as advised by the Climate Change Committee themselves.

“Instead, they’re following in the footsteps of past Conservative governments by ignoring this advice and the damage expansion will bring for our local community, for supposed growth benefits that economists have already debunked. And they have even ignored the advice of the Planning Inspectorate, who advised against expansion due to environmental concerns.

“I know the decision will be a huge let down for residents, groups and organisations I’ve worked with to oppose this expansion, including councillors and the Luton and District Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise (LADACAN). 

“It’s alarming not only for the trajectory of cutting carbon emissions and protecting our local environment, but will be deeply worrying for areas across Harpenden and Berkhamsted already plagued by noise pollution. For the three years prior to 2019 we saw Luton Airport violating their aircraft noise limits, and with added capacity this issue is only set to worsen.

“For all of these reasons I’m bitterly disappointed by this decision. The government have overlooked the advice of experts, concerns of our community, and squandered the opportunity to mitigate the harms of expansion by introducing an emissions framework. 

“I’ll now be continuing to hold them to account on this, on upholding their climate commitments, and will keep fighting to protect our local area from the negative consequences of the government’s decision.”