London Luton Airport said it hoped to almost double annual passenger numbers to 32 million by 2043 after the government approved expansion plans, including a new terminal.

The decision is not a popular one across the Hitchin political spectrum but some are more sanguine about the news and the balance of negative impact versus opportunity than others.

Liberal Democrats in Hitchin and across North Hertfordshire have been consistently opposed to this expansion of Luton Airport, and are "hugely disappointed that the Labour government have decided to push ahead despite lots of principled opposition to the increases in noise, traffic and pollution it will bring" they said in a statement.

Cllr Chris Lucas (Hitchin Priory), who brought a motion to North Herts Council opposing the expansion in January 2024, and spoke against it again in September, said, "The Liberal Democrats have opposed Luton Airport expansion from when it was first mooted, but Labour are now just waving it through regardless of local opposition". 

"During the General Election, the Labour candidate, Mr Strathern, was forced to wriggle and squirm whenever the issue was raised, going to great lengths not to explicitly oppose LA expansion. It is now obvious that he's been in favour of it all along, despite the environmental, traffic and health impacts that LA expansion will cause to the residents of Hitchin and surrounding villages. This is not only bad for Hitchin, it's bad for Hertfordshire, and it is absolutely terrible for the planet."

Cllr Ralph Muncer, Leader of the Conservative Group at North Hertfordshire District Council is also "deeply disappointed" with the decision said that "will have a significant negative impact on residents across North Hertfordshire, and we must now focus on working to secure measures to try and reduce its disruption on our communities".

"This is Alistair Strathern's idea of a growth agenda: growth in the size of the state; growth in the tax bill of our local employers; and growth in the number of planes flying low over our villages. I think the people of Hitchin deserve better".

The Labour leader of North Hertfordshire Council, Cllr Daniel Allen, explained to Hitchin Nub News that "the Council has consistently opposed this development due to concerns over environmental impact, noise, and air quality.  However, we must now look forward and work to ensure that North Hertfordshire benefits from any employment opportunities and investment that may arise from this expansion. At the same time, we will do everything in our power to mitigate the environmental impacts on our communities, pushing for the strongest possible measures to protect residents from increased noise and pollution".

"We will continue to stand up for the interests of North Hertfordshire and work constructively to ensure that the voices of our communities are heard throughout this process" he said.

Hitchin's MP, Alistair Strathern, said that he completely understood the "mixed feelings" about the news and impact it will have on the area. He explained that he has been working "behind the scenes" to share residents concerns and that he will "continue to push for traffic improvements, noise reductions, and for work to be as environmentally sustainable as possible".