Birmingham Airport is asking for public feedback on a draft Master Plan that would take it from about 14 million passengers a year to about 30 million by 2041. Comments close on Friday 4 December 2026, and the final plan is due in early 2027.
The airport's own postal address is in B26, so the plan covers the B26 postcode district. It is a strategy document, not a planning application, which means this consultation is not the formal planning process. Individual projects will need their own consent, with further consultation, later.
What the draft Master Plan proposes
- Passengers: From around 14 million a year today to around 30 million by 2041.
- Flights: From just under 100,000 a year to around 180,000. The airport's 2009 planning permission (ref. 2008/22/S) allows up to 205,400.
- Runway: No second runway. The plan is built around making better use of the existing one.
- Investment: More than £2 billion in new facilities, built in phases and, the airport says, only when demand needs them.
- Jobs: Airport staff numbers rising from around 9,300 to over 13,000, and nearly 52,500 more jobs across the West Midlands by 2041, according to the airport's forecasts.
- Operating hours: No change proposed. Night flights between 11:30pm and 6am stay under the existing Night Flying Policy.
Noise: what the airport says
The airport says Civil Aviation Authority modelling shows the area affected by aircraft noise in 2041 will be broadly similar to today, because newer aircraft are quieter. It also proposes a Noise Envelope, a set of limits on how much noise the airport can make. The detailed limits have not been written yet and will be consulted on later.
The airport is also looking at changing how the runway is used so aircraft are higher over homes. That could mean every departure starting its take-off from the very end of the runway, and, when Runway 15 is in use, aircraft landing from the East Birmingham side touching down further along. Both ideas still need a feasibility study, and any change to flight paths would go through the formal airspace change process.
The Sound Insulation Scheme, which pays for sound-reducing glazing, has covered more than 7,600 homes so far. The airport expects more flights just before and after the night period and says it will look to extend the scheme. To check whether your home is covered, email [email protected].
Parking, roads and land
The airport expects to need about 9,000 more passenger parking spaces by 2041. It also wants public transport's share of passenger trips to rise from around 16% to around 29%. Today about 8 in 10 passengers arrive by car or taxi, and the target is around 7 in 10 or fewer.
The plan names three sites outside the airport boundary for possible parking, airport uses and environmental work: the West Car Park near Birmingham International station, about 42 hectares of airport-owned land south of the A45 (the HEELMP site), and land at Damson Parkway. The Damson Parkway and HEELMP sites are Green Belt. Any development there would need surveys, planning permission and agreement with landowners.
The West Car Park site is also where the plan shows Bickenhill Lane being realigned, to allow a possible second access road to the airport and make Bird Island less attractive as a shortcut. The airport says it would rather buy any land by agreement. It has compulsory purchase powers in some circumstances, but says no decision has been made to use them.
Drop-in events still to come
- Mon 9 Nov, 4pm–8pm: Arden Hall, Castle Bromwich, B36 9PB
- Tue 10 Nov, 4pm–8pm: Spitfire Services, Castle Vale, B35 7PR
- Mon 16 Nov, 11am–3pm: Dudley Town Hall, Dudley, DY1 1HP
- Wed 18 Nov, 4pm–8pm: Barston Memorial Institute, Barston, B92 0JU
- Fri 20 Nov, 11am–3pm: Walsall Arena and Arts Centre, Walsall, WS3 1AG
- Sat 21 Nov, 10am–2pm: Warwick Racecourse, Warwick, CV34 6HN
How to give feedback by 4 December
- Online: Use the feedback form at birminghamairport.co.uk/masterplan.
- Email: [email protected]
- Post: MASTER PLAN 2026-2041, Birmingham Airport, Birmingham, B26 3QJ
- In person: Hand a paper form to the airport team at any of the events above.
The airport says it will publish a consultation report setting out what it heard and how feedback shaped the final plan. Solihull Council's emerging Local Plan is being consulted on at the same time, but the two consultations are separate.
All figures are the airport's own forecasts, taken from its draft Master Plan FAQs and consultation flyer. This post does not endorse or oppose the plan. Full documents: birminghamairport.co.uk/masterplan.
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