Liverpool Echo - Liam Thorp
Where does the future of city's airport lie as growing voices speak out against expansion plans
In 2018, Liverpool's John Lennon Airport (JLA) had just released a £100m plan for the future.
Airport bosses excitedly revealed a strategy to grow passenger numbers (which had been rising rapidly already) - from 5m to 7.8m by 2030.
This plan involved extending the existing terminal building in order to handle those extra passengers - as well as extending the runway and creating new hotels, restaurants and commercial space.
Last year, it was confirmed via Halton Council's local plan, that the runway extension vision would see it extended east towards the village of Hale, with around 80 acres of green belt being gobbled up in the process.
Campaign groups like Save Oglet Shore have long been concerned that any growth of the airport may cause damage to the picturesque and nature-filled places that lie close by.
A spokesperson said: "Whilst the timescales for any physical expansion plans for the airport are now likely to slip because of the pandemic and the subsequent recovery period, we still believe the plans we consulted on and published previously remain valid."
