Stansted Airport is 10 miles west of Braintree District in neighbouring Uttlesford District. It affects us directly as it provides employment, generates traffic and because part of the District is under the Stansted flight path.

The British Airports Authority (BAA) own Stansted and want to expand it in two stages. The first stage "Generation 1" received planning permission on appeal in October 2008. The second stage "Generation 2" is currently subject to another planning appeal.

These expansion plans resulted from the Government White Paper "The Future of Air Transport" published in 2003. It said that two new runways were needed in the South East of England, one of which could be at Stansted. In response to this BAA published a consultation in 2005 entitled "Stansted Generation 2".

Generation 1
The "Generation 1" planning permission allowed the number of passengers using the airport to increase from 25 million passengers per annum (MPPA) and air transport movements (ATM) of 241,000 to 35 MPPA and 264,000 ATMS.

Uttlesford District Council refused planning permission on 30th November 2006 but this was overturned on appeal by the Planning Inspectorate in October 2008.

The campaign group Stop Stansted Expansion submitted a High Court challenge to the grant of planning permission for G1, however this was not successful.

Generation 2
The "Generation 2" project proposes a second runway at Stansted. The Council decided its response to the application at a Council meeting on 15th March 2006.

On 31st January 2007 BAA announced its preferred option for the expansion and applied for planning permission with Uttlesford District Council.

Braintree District Council considered its response to the application at a Cabinet meeting on 2nd June 2008.

In July 2008 the "Generation 2" applications were called in for determination by the Secretary of State. A public inquiry was due to commence on 15th April 2008, however this has been postponed until further notice.