£1.1bn Stansted Airport expansion to create over 5,000 jobs

A CGI of Stansted Airport's upgraded departure lounge. Credit: Stansted Airport

A landmark £1.1bn investment in Stansted Airport will create more than 5,000 jobs.

Announcing the government’s plans at the International Investment Summit on 14 October, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the airport’s existing terminal building would be expanded by a third.

The five-year investment programme’s centrepiece will be a £600m extension to the airport’s existing terminal, which will create a bright spacious environment, with more seating areas plus new shops, bars and restaurants to give travellers even more choice than they have today.

The terminal development will help enable the airport to serve up to 43 million passengers a year, which in turn will create up to 5,000 new on-site jobs and see Stansted’s economic contribution double to £2bn annually.

Stansted Airport is an important gateway to the UK’s tech and innovation hubs, sitting at the heart of the so-called “Golden Triangle” to the north of London, a region home to companies including Google, GSK and Microsoft, as well as both Oxford and Cambridge University.

Gareth Powell, London Stansted’s Managing Director, said: “Stansted is embarking on an exciting new chapter. We aim to add even more choice of airlines to continue growing our extensive route network that is valued and enjoyed by the millions of passengers who choose to fly from London Stansted every year.

“We are already welcoming a record number of passengers, with people drawn to the fact we give them a great choice of destinations, at excellent value and with fantastic access into central London and the whole of the East of England.

“We are unique among major airports in operating a single terminal, which means we can give people a simple, efficient and seamless experience, which we know they value, whether travelling for business, leisure or to visit friends and family. These exciting plans mean we are able to retain all those benefits, while introducing an array of new facilities and giving us the space we need to grow.

“Since receiving planning permission last October, our teams have carefully considered every touch point of a passenger’s journey through the terminal to ensure the extension transforms the airport experience by adding more space, choice, comfort and range of services on offer, from check-in right through to arrivals. I believe we have successfully achieved this while maintaining the ease, simplicity and original design concept of our fantastic terminal building.

“This is a really exciting time for everyone connected with Stansted as we know we have a critical role to play in serving the future capacity needs of London. Our aim is to be the airport of choice for even more passengers and we’re confident our investment plans will boost our competitiveness within the London aviation market, as well as supporting economic growth, jobs and vital international connectivity for London and the East of England.”

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