Stansted Airport: Four chambers of commerce accuse Uttlesford council of risking jobs by delaying planning permission

Uttlesford District Council (UDC) is under pressure to stop delaying planning permission for Stansted Airport passenger growth by four chambers of commerce representing 6,450 businesses.

In a joint letter to Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick and the council's Residents for Uttlesford (R4U) leader Cllr John Lodge, the leaders of the chambers for Hertfordshire, Essex, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk warn that further resistance to Stansted owner Manchester Airports Group's planning application risked the region's economy being "locked on a low-growth trajectory".

The statement is an unprecedented move by the organisations, which represent firms employing 513,000 people.

In November last year, UDC – then run by the Conservatives – approved an application from MAG to increase maximum passenger capacity from 35 million a year to 43m while maintaining the existing cap on flights at 274,000. The expansion is set to create an extra 5,000 jobs at the airport, which is the largest single-site employer in the region.

In May's local elections, the Tories were almost wiped out in Uttlesford and R4U won control of the council.

In June, councillors voted for a review of the planning permission, despite legal advice that the approval decision was sound.

Adam Marshall, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: "With Britain about to leave the EU, we simply cannot afford to deny the East of England the opportunity to strengthen its ties with the rest of the world.

"That is why chambers of commerce are calling on Uttlesford's councillors to listen to the voice of local business and the tens of thousands of their constituents who rely on Stansted Airport for their employment and get on and approve this application."

Briege Leahy, chief executive of Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce, said: "Growth, business opportunities and jobs depend on businesses across Hertfordshire and the wider Eastern region being able to compete and win in the global marketplace.

"This is why Stansted is a catalyst for economic growth and success, providing increasing international connectivity, economic mobility and easy access for millions of business passengers and for all those who want to make the East of England a great place to live and work.

"Stansted's continued and sustainable growth is at the heart of all the exciting opportunities that exist for Hertfordshire business leaders, so it's vital that UDC allows the airport to make the best use of its existing capacity and not hold back our own exciting aspirations we have for the county and region. "

Denise Rossiter, chief executive of Essex Chambers of Commerce, said: "It's an irrational and counter-intuitive step to block the economic and social development that the airport can provide.

"The Essex Chamber of Commerce welcomes Stansted's commitment to growing in a sustainable manner and urges UDC not to squander this unique opportunity to create an additional 5,000 new jobs for the benefit of not just the district but also Essex, the rest of the region and across the UK."

John Dugmore, chief executive of Suffolk Chambers of Commerce, said: "It's vital that Stansted Airport can make the best use of the runway capacity available as more and more businesses look to create new opportunities to trade around the world.

"Our view, and that of the many businesses we represent, ranging from international corporates to dynamic start-ups, is that this is the most sustainable and efficient approach that would support the continued drive to power growth in the coming years.

"By grabbing this opportunity, not denying it, we will see more investment, more economic growth, more jobs and more prosperity coming into our region."

John Bridge, chief executive of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, said: "It's vital businesses in the area have a key international gateway for air travel, particularly direct long-haul services to countries such as the USA, China and India, to support economic growth and attract even more overseas companies to invest and locate here.

"It's vital there is no further or unnecessary delay in UDC approving Stansted's plans, which could affect a key part of the UK economy."