Holiday jets bid dropped

After years of planning that had spawned an army of opposition from tens of thousands of residents, airport owners have officially called off their controversial masterplan for its expansion.

New owners Mar Properties broke their silence and told the Express & Star they no longer want to build a new runway capable of holding large passenger aeroplanes.

The news has been hailed as a major victory for the thousands who have campaigned for years to halt the development.

More than 25,000 protest letters were sent and hundreds of 'No Fly Zone' banners were displayed from homes and on roadsides in the area.

Campaigners feared the plans would have placed parts of west Wolverhampton, including Penn, under the flightpath.

Villagers from other areas affected, including Wombourne, Cookley, Bobbington, Claverley, Enville, Kingswinford and Wollaston, joined forces to fight the expansion.

Billy Quinn, commercial director for Mar Properties, which bought the Bobbington airport earlier this year, said: "We do not intend to proceed with the large runway extension.

"There will no 747s flying passengers from Wolverhampton. We have spoken to the MP Patrick Cormack and the Wolverhampton Airport Action Group and informed them of this."

He pledged to be "open and transparent" with future plans to keep the airfield for use by small aircraft.

Just nine months ago, bosses were still hoping to realise their dream of flying travellers to European cities such as Paris and Amsterdam in a move that would have created several hundred jobs.

Airport manager Gary Hall said today: "Our plans for the future will be geared towards small aircraft."

By Becky Sharpe