Birmingham Airport outlines future plans

Birmingham Airport has released an interim statement on its long-term development plans, with revised traffic forecasts among the announcements.

As it prepares to release an updated 'masterplan' later this year, the airport projected 27.2 million passengers and 205,000 air transport movements (ATMs) per year by 2030.

This passenger forecast represents a near threefold increase on 2006 figures (9.2 million).

The statement also said that priority should be given to an extension of the main runway, which could be complete by 2012, and proposed that construction of a third passenger terminal should begin at the airport in 2018.

Joe Kelly, acting managing director of the hub, said that the statement was designed to provide "clarity and advance notice" of changes that had been made to the original plans for growth.

He added: "The increasing importance of Birmingham International Airport to the region is evident. It enables businesses to access markets and people to access holidays and visit friends and relatives - in Europe and the rest of the world.

"The airport is important to the region's economy and it is one of the largest providers of employment in the West Midlands region, supporting some 10,500 full-time equivalent jobs in 2006."