More than 2,500 new jobs-and a multi-million pound boost to the area's economy are proposed as part of the expansion of Durham Tees Valley Airport which have been submitted to Darlington and Stockton Councils.

Airport Managing Director Hugh Lang describes the plans as "a huge opportunity not just for the airport but for the entire area."

The plans would enable Durham Tees Valley to handle up to three million passengers a year as well as creating a new cargo and maintenance 'village' together with a business park and hotel.

Currently the airport provides the equivalent of around 750 jobs and supports a further 190 to 260 within the Tees Valley. As a result of the developments now being planned the Airport could be employing almost 2,700 in ten years' time, supporting hundreds more jobs within the area and adding £120million a year into the local economy.

The new extension for the airport terminal will provide new departure facilities, including 30 check-ins and baggage handling facilities on the ground floor and departure lounges on the first floor with four gate 'bridges' connecting directly to the aircraft stands.

In order to handle the increased business there will also be nine new additional aircraft stands, together with new taxiway and apron facilities, as well as a 20,000 square metre development at the north eastern end of the runway, providing facilities for maintenance and cargo handling and processing.

The new North Side Business Park will include 18,600 square metres of high quality office space and, together with the planned 100-bed 'lodge' style hotel and restaurant, will create an impressive new development around the main access route to the Airport from the A67.

A detailed Environmental Statement has been submitted with the planning application, examining a comprehensive range of issues including noise, air quality, surface transport access, hydrogeology, landscape, cultural heritage and the local ecology. This also considers construction impacts of the development and outlines the contents of a Construction Management Plan to control them.

Explains Mr Lang: "I believe that this is a massively important development for the Tees Valley and the surrounding areas of North Yorkshire and Durham. From the Airport's point of view the facts are very clear-we will reach the maximum capacity of the current terminal facilities, at 1.2million passengers a year, by 2007. The plans we have now submitted will enable us to move forward over the next decade, with the prospect of hitting three million passengers a year by 2015.

"They underline the commitment of Peel Airports to maximising the potential of Durham Tees Valley by providing the quality of facilities and services demanded by both passengers and airlines and ensuring that we fully exploit the commercial opportunities of the whole airport site.

"The last year has been our busiest on record, with many of our partner airlines, including bmi, bmibaby, Ryanair and Eastern Airways all expanding their services, and prospects for 2005 are also excellent, with the introduction for example, of new services to Paris and Cork in Ireland. The proposals we are now putting forward will enable us to maintain the momentum in the years ahead and succeed in a very tough and competitive market.

Peter Nears, Strategic Planning Director for Peel Airports, said: "Obviously, we expect that there will be a great deal of interest in the proposals and over the coming weeks, as the local authorities consider the applications, we will be making every effort to provide as much information as possible. For example, the full planning documentation will be available for viewing at the Information Desk in the Airport Terminal, as well as at the local authorities and we will be staging an exhibition on the proposals at the Airport.

"In all the discussions and consultations we have had so far with a wide range of interests during the course of preparing this application including the Scoping Exercise held in the Summer of 2004 we have been greatly encouraged by the widespread recognition that a successful and growing airport is vital both in terms of direct jobs and investment and the overall economic regeneration of the Tees Valley City Region."