The London Development Agency (LDA) has started to look at alternative uses for the land needed for the expansion of City airport and for a ‘post airport scenario’. The announcement came in response to a question from Darren Johnson, a Green Party member of the London Assembly, who is opposing the plans for expansion on environmental and economic grounds. City Airport can’t expand without the LDA owned land. Darren Johnson, said:
"This is a clear signal from the LDA and the Mayor that the Crossrail announcement has killed off all plans for expanding City airport. They are now looking at a future where the airport is closed altogether. Faster Eurostar trains and concerns over climate change also call into question why we need an airport specialising in short haul flights to places like Paris and Brussels. This LDA land is needed for housing and local economic regeneration. I welcome the LDA’s commitment to investigate green industries as part of their own master planning exercise for this land."