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Following the completion of a planning application to have passenger limits increased at Stansted, airports operator BAA has said it is confident that it has made a strong case.

Current restrictions dictate that Stansted can handle up to 25m passengers per year but it has appealed for this limit to be increased to 35m.

In its application, BAA's legal team said that expansion of the airport's operations would offer substantial economic and social benefits and create 3,800 new jobs.

The airport operator also acknowledged the ecological impact of handling more passengers and said an 'extensive range of measures' will be implemented to control and minimise any impact on the local environment.

Nick Barton, business development and planning director at Stansted, said: 'This inquiry has examined in close detail the evidence we have presented to support the case for expansion.

'We now await the outcome of the inspector's report and the decision of the government, but we remain very confident of the strong and compelling case we have made.'

Stansted is the UK's third busiest airport, serving nearly 24m passengers a year. The 25m limit is expected to be reached in 2008.

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