Stansted Airport is to play a leading role in a £900,000 study into airport-related problems.

Essex is one of nine European regional authorities and English counties to gain funding through a European Union community initiative for a study into the problems and issues raised by major airports.

The study will look into problems created by airports including aircraft routing, noise, access, transport and development. Stansted was felt to be right for the project because of its ambitious expansion plans.

In June flights were allowed to increase from 120,000 to 185,000 a year and builders are poised to start work on a £200 million extension which by 2007 will see the airport catering for 15 million passengers a year.

The budget for the study is almost £900,000, 50 per cent of which will come from the EU and 50 per cent provided by the regions. Essex County Council's contribution will be £14,500.

The two-year study will look at common issues related to major airports such as Stansted, Gatwick, Schipol, Brussels, Frankfurt, Dublin and Paris.

Paul Sztumpf, chairman of the county planning committee said: "Whilst each region and authority has work to do on their part of the jigsaw, the knowledge gained from this overall study will help in the evolving development of Stansted Airport to the benefit of business, local people and the environment."

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