A £1.1bn expansion of London’s Stansted Airport has been announced that will create an additional 5,000 jobs and see an extension to its existing terminal.

The plans were first announced at the government’s International Investment Summit and follow record-breaking passenger numbers for the airport in 2024 so far.

The £600m extension to the airport’s existing terminal will take up the majority of the funds, creating more seating areas plus new shops, bars and restaurants. While planning permission for the extension was secured last October, Stansted only released its first design mock-ups of the new terminal yesterday.

Stansted is the UK’s fourth busiest airport after Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester respectively.

Some of the new funding will be used to deliver a 14.3 megawatt on-site solar farm, which will support the airport’s increasing electricity demands. Other upgrades include an enlarged security hall and installation of next-generation security equipment, as well as improvements...