Quality of life in Uttlesford to be improved with £35 million from Stansted

London Stansted Airport has announced plans to make £35 million of investment over the next eight years in order to ensure that the quality of life in Uttlesford remains high.

Uttlesford District Council’s Planning Committee will meet to consider the details of the mitigation measures that are part of the planning application submitted by Stansted. If granted, the measures would enable the airport to grow over time in order to make the best use of its existing runway and serve 43 million passengers per year.

CEO of London Stansted, Ken O’Toole, said: “We have listened to the community from the outset and remain absolutely committed to delivering additional passenger growth in a sustainable manner, without an increase in the number of permitted flights and within a smaller noise footprint than our existing permission requires.”

Should the planning application be granted, the approval would trigger a considerable investment from the airport, in addition to its existing commitments, and deliver significant improvements to the District’s transport infrastructure, educational provision and environment.

O’Toole continued: “We have been working hard with the Council over recent months to better understand their concerns and have put forward proposals which are legally sound and present a proportionate mitigation package. We would hope the Committee take this on board, along with the advice they have received from their own officers and independent legal advisers when they meet in the coming weeks.”

The results of the £35 million investment include:

• £12 million of funding for local transport schemes to help deliver sustainable travel schemes across Uttlesford and the further provision of public transport services and facilities
• £1 million fund to support new bus routes and encourage the use of new low emission vehicles
• Over £2 million to improve local roads within Uttlesford
• A Sound Insulation Grant Scheme (SIGS) for those living closest to the airport that will be specifically allocated to 18 noise-sensitive community facilities within the District
• Guaranteed ongoing support for the airport’s on-site College, Aerozone and Academy to contribute to raising educational achievement and creating more job opportunities for local people
• Continuation of the annual Meet the Buyers events, which have helped generate £24 million for local businesses over the last nine years, and the annual Jobs Fair, which attracted over 800 potential employees in 2019
• A new Community Trust Fund with increased funding of a minimum of £150,000 a year.