Around 5,000 new jobs will be created after planners gave Stansted Airport the go-ahead for a £200 million expansion plan.

The airport has been given permission to double its capacity after councillors agreed plans to extend the terminal.

It took Uttlesford District Council less than an hour to approve detailed expansion plans which will allow the airport to grow from eight million passengers a year to 15 million.

After the meeting David Field, airport marketing director, said he was delighted by the decision which would boost Stansted's workforce from its present 8,000 to 13,000.

Mr Field said the airport was working closely with the council and the community to ensure that all concerns were taken on board during the works programme.

Under the scheme the terminal building will be extended with more aisles of check-in desks at one end and extra carousels in the baggage reclaim hall at the opposite end.

Two more satellite buildings will be constructed along with aprons to provide extra aircraft parking and more taxiways and entry and exit links to the runway.

Building work is expected to begin next year and finished by 2007. News of the permission comes as another boost to the fast-growing airport.

It has become a major centre for low-cost airlines and short-haul flights. British Airways' cut-price carrier Go is based at the Essex airport, along with rivals KLM UK and Ryanair.

Work has already started on creating new housing for the expected influx of airport workers.

Last month silos at the sugar beet factory in Felsted were demolished to make way for airport-related housing.

And earlier this month it was revealed the M11 slip roads are to be upgraded.

The A120 from Braintree to the airport is also to be improved, and there are plans for improved public transport links to the site.

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