TAG Aviation is preparing the case for an application to increase the total number of annual movements at the London-area Farn- borough Airport from 28,000 to 50,000. The company has released a draft master plan for the future of the privately owned airport and has begun consultation with the local residents and government officials.

A final version of the master plan will be released later this year. It will argue that the increase is needed to “make best use of the existing facilities” through 2019, while holding open the possibility of a further increase in the 2020-2030 time frame. According to TAG, the airport has a physical capacity of 100,000 movements per year.

Meanwhile, the local Rushmoor Borough Council is also starting work on its new Local Development Framework–a policy document that will include plans for the future use of Farnborough Airport. TAG has taken encouragement from last year’s successful appeal against earlier decisions to deny its request to increase the number of permitted weekend movements from 2,500 to 5,000 per year. This decision drew on the UK government’s Future of Air Transport White Paper, which calls for more efficient use of existing airport capacity in the southeast of England.

TAG’s draft master plan addresses issues such as the environmental sustainability of the airport and the impact on the local economy. It estimates that the uptick in movements could increase direct and indirect employment generated by the airport by around 35 percent, essentially creating 1,500 jobs.