A major international airport has accepted an Essex council’s offer of over £2million to cover its legal fees in the wake of a dispute over its expansion.
Stansted Airport won an appeal against Uttlesford District Council last year over its bid to increase passenger numbers to 43 million a year. According to a spokesperson, the airport has accepted an “all in” offer of £2.1m.
The council was ordered to cover the airport’s legal costs after the appeal and voted to offer £1.4m in June 2022. This was rejected by the airport earlier this month.
At a meeting on October 13, it voted to make two new offers of £2.05m, including £50,000 interest, and a second “all in” offer of £2.1m.
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A spokesperson for Stansted Airport said in a statement: “We can confirm we have accepted UDC’s offer in relation to our planning appeal costs, which it was ordered to pay by the Planning Inspectorate.”
At a meeting earlier this month, councillors from Residents for Uttlesford, the party which controls the authority, said the airport had asked for a far larger figure but that this had been negotiated down.
According to a council report published ahead of the meeting, £1m has already been paid on account to the airport in June. This is included in the £2.1m figure.
The bill is expected to wipe the council’s Strategic Initiative Fund, which had a balance of £1.65m before the £1m was paid on account. According to the report, the Medium Term Financial Strategy Reserve will be used for the excess of £437,000.
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