On Friday 13 December, the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce jointly submitted an Open Letter on behalf of 139 businesses calling on the Government to approve the Development Consent Order to expand London Luton Airport.
The letter, which was sent to both the Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP and the Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds MP, endorses London Luton Airport’s expansion proposals, which will deliver significant economic benefits to England and the South East and support the Government’s ambitions for national renewal in areas including job creation, sustainable aviation and addressing deprivation across the UK.
The proposals would contribute around £1.3 billion in additional GDP across the three counties of Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire and £1.5 billion nationally.
Ahead of Luton’s DCO being due for a decision by 3 January 2025, CECA strongly support Luton Rising’s expansion proposals. In September we hosted an event at London Luton Airport so that CECA members could hear first-hand about the expansion plans and how CECA and its member can get involved.
Commenting, CECA Director of Operations Marie-Claude Hemming said: “We have long argued that addressing the UK’s lack of aviation capacity is a fundamental challenge we must meet to boost economic growth and ensure Britain is globally competitive in terms of trade, tourism, and as an attractive place to both live and do business.
“We firmly believe that airport expansion is a vital piece in the puzzle when it comes to the Government’s mission to deliver a high-growth economy. That’s why we support these proposals, and airport expansion where appropriate – for too long this is an issue that has been kicked into the long grass by successive governments.
“CECA members are primed to deliver the necessary works to meet this challenge, and we look forward to working with them and all relevant stakeholders to ensure this aspect of meeting the UK’s transport needs is met, for the benefit of businesses, communities, and the entire UK economy.”