STANSTED Airport could need extra parking amid its plans to grow to 51 million passengers a year, Essex County Council has claimed. The airport intends to submit a planning application within the next few months to increase the annual passenger limit up to 51 million passengers from its current permitted ceiling of 45 million reports the Local Democracy Reporter.
The vision for its growth has been set out in its latest Sustainable Development Plan. And while the airport says the extra passengers will be without needing any increase in the number of flights – the airport is already permitted to operate 274,000 a year – there is expected to be extra traffic.
The latest proposals outline plans to improve access to the airport from junction eight of the M11. But extra passengers could also mean a need for extra parking – which can be expanded within the operational area of the airport under permitted development rights.
Essex County Council says the airport is not being clear enough over what the extra need may mean. Essex County Council said in its submission to the draft Sustainable Development Plan (SDP) for Stansted Airport that extra car parking capacity should not be built unless there is an “absolute need”.
It added: “In reviewing future car parking capacity Essex County Council accepts that there will be a need to cater for passengers arriving by car. However, any expansion of car parks must be on the basis of absolute need and not provide capacity that drives car use.”
It added: “Essex County Council recommends that the draft SPD be amended to outline a clear position on passenger car parking.” It has also pulled Stansted up on its wording around its vision for how many passengers will access the airport via public transport.
The council says the airport’s 50 per cent target must not include transfer air passengers. The airport has said “we will recover and then maintain the passenger mode share figures of at least 50 per cent of all journeys to and from the airport being made by public transport or other sustainable modes”.
However this different to the words used in Unilateral Undertaking dated 2021 which it states its aim to “maintain a 50 per cent public transport mode-share for non-transfer air passengers”. The council has added the revised wording refers to “or other sustainable modes”.
A submission from the council said: “While Essex County Council is supportive of promoting other sustainable modes, including active modes. The agreed 50 per cent target is for public transport, and therefore a review of any changes must be undertaken.”
The airport is already undergoing a significant expansion project with its £600m project for larger departure lounge, security hall and an extension to the terminal building. This will allow the airport to handle up to 43 million passengers that it won permission for in 2021.
Stansted served a record breaking 29.3 million passengers in the year to September 2024, the busiest 12-month period in the airport’s history. In 2023 it served 28 million passengers.
