London City Airport has published its Master Plan, which outlines how the airport will develop and expand the current operation to handle eight million passengers per annum by 2030.

The document highlights the role London City Airport will play in meeting the growing demand for air travel in the South East of England - to support the growth of the capital and the continued regeneration of East London - whilst also remaining good local neighbours and maintaining its environmental record.

The plan explains how the airport will develop in two distinct time frames; from now until 2015 and from 2015 to 2030, creating 4,150 employment opportunities for the local community.

Richard Gooding, md for London City Airport, believes the site's growth has strongly supported the regeneration of the Royal Docks area and enhanced London's business competitiveness.

"With a continued focus on East London and the Thames Gateway, especially following the awarding of the 2012 Olympic Games to London, the role of London City Airport as a key regenerator and major employer has strengthened further. We have delivered continued growth in passenger numbers and, taking into account our location and our unique offering to the business traveller, we will continue to serve the business travel market.

"I can assure our neighbours that we have no plans to change our operating hours, we

will continue to close at night and for 24 hours on the weekend and we will not be building an additional runway. Also you will not see noticeably larger aeroplanes.

"The growth will instead be accommodated by maximising the use of the existing runway, improving flight occupancy and creating better facilities for passengers. The plan we are publishing today is for consultation, and we are keen for all stakeholders to let us know their views."

The Master Plan has been developed in response to the government's aviation white paper, 'The Future of Air Transport,' which requires specified airport operators to outline their vision for growth up to 2030. It also meets the passenger demand forecast in the Greater London Authority's East London sub-regional development framework.