PM Starmer praises MAG’s £1bn investment plans for its Stansted Airport site
Manchester Airports Group (MAG) has announced a £1.1bn investment scheme, over five years, at London Stansted Airport.
The decision was lauded this morning (October 14) by Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, in his opening address to some of the world’s biggest business leaders at the Government’s global investment sumnmit in London.
MAG operates three UK airports, at Manchester, East Midlands and London Stansted.
The centrepiece of the Stansted plans is a £600m extension to the airport’s existing terminal, which will create a bright spacious environment, with more seating areas plus new shops, bars and restaurants.
CGI of new departure lounge
London Stansted has reported record-breaking passenger numbers for each month in 2024.
Planning permission for the extension was secured last October, and Stansted today released images and a video to showcase its plans for the first time.
The terminal development will help enable the airport serve up to 43 million passengers a year, which, in turn, will create up to 5,000 on-site jobs, and see the airport’s economic contribution double to £2bn annually.
Also included in the airport’s £1.1bn investment programme are a number of projects to enhance the passenger journey and support Stansted’s commitment to deliver a sustainable future, such as:
- Enlarged security hall and installation of next generation security equipment
- 14.3MW on-site solar farm to supply current and future energy needs
- New and additional terminal and gate area seating
- New wayfinding kiosks across the terminal
- Gate room reconfiguration to create more space for passengers pre-boarding their aircraft
- Flooring and seating upgrades across satellite two plus new bar area
- Refurbishment of terminal toilet facilities
- Airfield taxiway upgrade
Gareth Powell, London Stansted’s Managing Director, said: “Stansted is embarking on an exciting new chapter. We aim to add even more choice of airlines to continue growing our extensive route network that is valued and enjoyed by the millions of passengers who choose to fly from London Stansted every year.
CGI of departure lounge
“We are unique among major airports in operating a single terminal, which means we can give people a simple, efficient and seamless experience, which we know they value, whether travelling for business, leisure or to visit friends and family. These exciting plans mean we are able to retain all those benefits, while introducing an array of new facilities and giving us the space we need to grow.”
He added: “This is a really exciting time for everyone connected with Stansted as we know we have a critical role to play in serving the future capacity needs of London.”
Stansted served a record breaking 29.3 million passengers in the year to September 2024, the busiest 12-month period in the airport’s history, and as it now enters a new phase of growth, the extended terminal will improve capacity at busy times and provide the extra space required to accommodate forecast growth.
