‘No extra parking unless absolute need’ Essex County Council tells Stansted Airport on growth plans

Essex County Council (ECC) claims Stansted Airport’s expansion proposals could require extra car park provision.

The Uttlesford aviation hub is set to submit a planning application to Uttlesford District Council (UDC) in the next few months to increase its annual passenger limit from 43 million to 51 million. Last year it handled 29.76 million.

Stansted set out its vision for growth in a Sustainable Development Plan (SDP). The airport says the extra passengers can be accommodated without any increase in the number of flights – 274,000 a year are already permitted.

However, additional traffic is anticipated, and the latest proposals outline improved access to the airport from junction 8 of the M11.

The extra passengers could also require more parking, provided within the existing airport perimeter under permitted development rights. ECC warned the airport was clear about what the extra need may mean.

In its response to the draft SDP, the authority said extra parking capacity should not be built unless there was an “absolute need”.

It added: “In reviewing future car parking capacity, ECC accepts 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. ECC recommends that the draft SDP be amended to outline a clear position on passenger car parking.”

The authority also rapped Stansted about its wording around how many passengers will access the airport on public transport.

The council says the airport’s 50% 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% of all journeys to and from the airport being made by public transport or other sustainable modes.”

However, this is different from the Unilateral Undertaking dated 2021, which states its aim to “maintain a 50% public transport mode-share for non-transfer air passengers”.

A submission from the council said: “While ECC is supportive of promoting other sustainable modes, including active modes, the agreed 50% target is for public transport, and therefore a review of any changes must be undertaken.”

The airport is undergoing significant expansion with a £600m project for a larger departure lounge, security hall and an extension to the terminal building. This will enable the airport to handle the 43 million passengers a year for which planning permission was granted in 2021.