Birmingham Airport have scrapped plans to build a second runway. The news comes in an 'interim statement on long term future' issued by the airport today.

The airport released an Interim Statement on its long-term development plans up to the year 2030 today, ahead of the publication of the new Airport Master Plan, which will be released later this year. The details follow an extensive consultation process on the Draft Master Plan in 2005/06 and review of the feedback received.

The Master Plan Review Process has identified a number of revisions to the draft Master Plan, which include revised traffic forecasts of 27.2 million passengers per annum and 205,000 Air Transport Movements per annum in 2030 (comparative numbers for 2006 were 9.2 million passengers and 108,658 ATM's).

The airport had originally said an extra runway would be needed to cater for an expected three-fold increase in passenger numbers to 30m a year by 2030. However, the updated traffic forecasts now indicate that a second runway should not be needed before 2030 and the Airport is being planned on that basis. The airport has now said instead it wants to extend the existing runway and will build a third passenger terminal, with Phase one of the terminal development set for 2018..

The revised projections also envisage a reduction in the overall airport operational area - i.e. the amount of land needed. This would include long-term improvements to M42 Junction 6, and no dedicated Junction on the M42 for the airport. In addition, new public transport targets would be agreed, (including a target of 35% of people reaching the airport via public transport in 2030) and there would be continuing programmes of environmental mitigation.

The 400-metre extension to the southern end of the existing runway would dramatically increase the capability and range of services from the airport, by providing the opportunity for direct flights to the West Coast USA, the Far East and other long-haul destinations.

The airport is also currently finalising a Planning Application for the extension of its main runway following Board approval in January this year. The plans will be submitted before the end of this year and the extension is expected to be completed in time for the 2012 London Olympics.