Green light for airport runway extension

Plans to extend Birmingham Airport's main runway have been approved, opening the way for direct long-haul flights to destinations such as China and the west coast of the United States.

The runway extension plans were approved in March, more than a year after they were submitted to Solihull Council in January 2008, along with plans for a new air traffic control tower.

Why a longer runway?

The airport's main runway is too short for the largest aircraft to take off fully loaded with fuel for the longest routes. That limits how far airlines can fly direct from Birmingham, and means many long-haul passengers from the Midlands have to travel to London airports.

The airport says the extension would allow it to attract new routes to fast-growing economies in Asia and elsewhere, benefiting businesses across the region and bringing more visitors to the city.

Moving a main road

To make room for the longer runway, part of the A45 Coventry Road, one of the main routes into Birmingham from the east, will have to be diverted. That will be a major engineering project in its own right.

One runway

The airport closed its shorter runway last year. It had been used less often because of its short length, the noise it caused and its awkward position crossing the main runway. It remains in use as a taxiway and for helicopters, and closing it has allowed more space for parked aircraft.

Concerns from residents

The plans have been opposed by some people living under the flight path, who fear more noise and pollution from bigger aircraft and more flights. The airport says it will introduce measures to reduce the impact on local communities.

A growing airport

Birmingham Airport opened as Elmdon Airport in 1939 and has grown into one of the busiest airports in the country outside London. A new terminal opened in 1984, and a new international pier is being built to handle larger aircraft, due to open later this year.

The airport has ambitious plans to increase passenger numbers significantly over the coming decades.

Funding in a recession

The approval comes at a difficult time for the aviation industry, with the recession hitting passenger numbers. No date has yet been set for work to begin, and the airport will need to raise the money for the project.

Business leaders have welcomed the decision, arguing that good international connections are essential if Birmingham is to compete for investment when the economy recovers.

The airport is owned by the seven local councils of the area together with private investors, and its growth is seen as an important part of plans to boost the regional economy once the recession is over.