London Stansted Airport Consults Public On Ambitious Capacity Expansion Plan

London Stansted Airport (STN) opened a formal public consultation period for its plan to increase annual passenger capacity to 51 million—up 70% over current levels—by the 2040s.

The draft Sustainable Development Plan was unveiled late last year, outlining STN’s strategy to grow passenger capacity with the airport’s existing single runway.

The public consultation opened Feb. 4 and will run to March 10, allowing “all those with an interest in the airport’s future” to weigh in, the airport said in a statement.

STN has planning permission to grow traffic to 43 million passengers per year. In 2024, the airport handled 29.8 million passengers, its busiest year ever, surpassing 28.1 million passengers handled in 2019. The airport reported 2.23 million passengers in December 2024, up 7.4% over December 2023.

STN said it is “proposing to submit a planning application within the next few months to increase the airport’s annual passenger limit up to 51 million passengers.” Stansted added that it can achieve this level of traffic “without any increase in the number of flights that the airport is already permitted to operate and within the existing airport boundary.”

The airport’s current limit is 274,000 aircraft movements annually, and STN is not proposing that it be raised.

STN noted airlines are “planning to use larger models of modern, efficient aircraft than previously forecast, enabling more people to fly on each plane and meeting additional passenger demand with flight limits remaining unchanged.”

The airport is already building a £600 million ($740 million) extension of its passenger terminal, part of an overall £1.1 billion infrastructure upgrade program. The extension will add 16,500 m² (54,100 ft.²) to the terminal and includes building a 14.3-megawatt onsite solar farm.

The terminal extension project is expected to commence in 2025 and last two to three years. The overall program is working on a five-year time frame. Taxiway upgrades are also planned.

Roadway Relief

The long-term development plan on which the public is now commenting highlights improvements in transiting to and from the airport. Roadway work is planned to reduce automobile congestion near the airport. STN aims to have half of all passengers arriving or departing the airport via public transport, reducing automobile traffic.

Under the plan, funds would be made available to support local bus services. STN also intends to work “with train operators to improve the Stansted Express.”

STN added that airport infrastructure will be “powered by 100% renewable energy” by 2038.

STN Managing Director Gareth Powell said the development plan is “about making the best use of our single runway.” That includes “helping relieve the pressure on local roads,” he added.

“Over the next few weeks, we will be consulting with local residents, businesses and passengers on our plan ahead of submitting a planning application in the coming months,” Powell said, adding that the public consultation "is an opportunity to engage widely with our local community on how Stansted grows in the most sustainable and efficient way possible to make the best use of its existing capacity.”

Also part of the development plan is doubling the size of Stansted Airport College, an aviation academy located at the airport. Started in 2018, the college currently has 500 students studying such subjects as aircraft maintenance and airport operations.

STN said its three most popular destinations in 2024 were Dublin, Istanbul and Edinburgh, Scotland. The top countries for STN passengers in 2024 were Spain, Italy and Poland.