Left: Design rendering of London City Airport’s development program
London City Airport has released a new report by independent research group Oxford Economics which found that trips from the airport could be associated with approximately 5% or £11bn (US$16bn) of all UK trade exports to 10 key European markets. These markets include the Netherlands, Germany, France, Ireland, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Denmark and Luxembourg.
Alongside the Oxford Economics report, a survey by research firm ComRes found strong support for London City Airport’s expansion plans, with 73% of approximately 1,000 business decision makers in Central London backing the City Airport Development Program (CADP).
The reports have been released ahead of the result of a public planning inquiry, which is being held at City Hall in London into the airport’s expansion plans. It follows an appeal by the airport against the Mayor of London’s direction to prevent planning permission for the CADP.
Declan Collier, chief executive, London City Airport, said, “City Airport is poised to provide an interim solution to much needed aviation capacity in the Southeast. Today’s report and survey prove that our expansion would provide clear benefits for the UK economy and that there is a huge appetite among key business leaders, who rely on air connectivity for their companies to thrive.
“If we get the green light, we can start delivering extra capacity within 18 months, meeting this demand and increasing our contribution to both the local and national economies, from our location just a few miles from London’s key financial and business districts.”