Birmingham International Airport has submitted a planning application to the local council for an extension of its runway to enable it to offer flights to more foreign airports.
The application has been lodged with Solihull Metropolitan Borough that includes a 400-metre extension to the southern end of the existing runway, as well as a new air traffic control tower and the realignment and tunnelling of a section of the A45 Coventry Road.
The airport’s acting managing director, Joe Kelly, said: “The submission of our planning application to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council represents a major step forward for the airport and the wider region.
“The connectivity that the runway extension could bring is vital for the future economic well being of the region and equally important to further establishing the region on the world stage.”
The work would be complete by 2012 and enable the airport to offer more routes as currently 56 per cent of people from the local catchment area use other airports.
Details of the planning application are available via the Birmingham International Airport website.
