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London Stansted Airport is due to see the UK’s second highest number of passengers pass through its terminal annually.
It comes as part of a landmark £1.1bn investment plan confirmed by the government on Monday.
The announcement follows record-breaking passenger numbers for the Essex facility, with 29.3 million jet-setters taking flight in the year to September.
With work due to start in 2025, here is everything you need to know about the five-year programme.
What has been announced?
Stansted owner Manchester Airports Group (MAG) says the centrepiece of the investment stimulus is a £600m extension of the terminal.
This will feature more seating areas and new shops, bars and restaurants.
An enlarged security hall is planned to tackle waiting times, as well as more check-in desks and a new baggage reclaim carousel.
London Stansted AirportStansted says it will also reconfigure its gate rooms to create more space and seating for passengers.
The terminal will also have what the airport calls a “three bay expansion” to the existing building size.
Airport bosses also believe 5,000 new jobs will be created thanks to the landmark investment.
They hope to supply its current and future energy needs with a new 14.3mv solar farm on-site.
What does it mean for passengers?
Stansted expects to welcome 43 million passengers a year once works are complete, two million more than London Gatwick Airport’s annual figure.
It means Stansted will become the UK’s second busiest airport, behind Heathrow.
The growth follows a huge year for the Essex facility, having broken its own records for passenger numbers in every month over the past year.
More than 200 destinations are offered across 40 countries at Stansted after British Airways returned to its runway in March.
Paul DugganRoyal Jordanian and the Turkish-German airline Sun Express also arrived for the first time this year.
The airport expects to continue expanding venues on its destinations board as a result of the investment.
The Department for Transport has already said the scheme is “in line with previously agreed passenger and flight numbers”.
