An additional 3,000 scheduled flights could be cleared to take off and land at George Best Belfast City Airport, the BBC reports.
Under new plans outlined by the airport’s owners, some 500,000 additional passengers could make use of the gateway every year with the number of flights rising from 45,000 to 48,000 per year.
The announcement has enraged local communities, but Northern Ireland environment minister Sammy Wilson said it was good news for the city.
Raising the number of seats for sale from 1.5 million to 2 million per year, Wilson claimed he had struck a “balance between the concerns of the local residents and the economic benefits generated by the airport”.
He added: “The modified Planning Agreement represents the outcome of a lengthy, open and transparent review including consultation with Belfast City Council and North Down Borough Council plus the Airport Forum which includes representatives of the local residents’ groups.”
The environmental minister’s proposals will be subject to new regulations on noise and activity levels.
