The decision allows for an increase in the number of flights to and from the airport in a year from 241,000 to 264,000 air traffic movements and an increase in the maximum number of passengers using the airport from 25m to 35m a year.

Aviation Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said: "There is an urgent need for additional runway capacity in the South East. We were clear in the Aviation White Paper that the first priority was to make best use of the existing runways, including using the remaining capacity at Stansted.

"We recognise that there have been strong views expressed about Stansted's expansion and all views were given the chance to be heard at the public inquiry. Ministers thought long and hard about the case before making their decision to allow an increase of a little under 10% in the maximum permitted number of flights to and from the airport from 241,000 to 264,000 air traffic movements a year."