RESIDENTS living next to the region's biggest airport will have the chance to study its plans for expansion later this month.

Newcastle International Airport is holding a series of public meetings as part of a consultation exercise, before the launch of its Masterplan proposals.

The document outlines where bosses see the airport needs to grow in the years up to 2016. It aims to accommodate future growth in passenger numbers, freight and airport services effectively over the next 12 years, while taking living standards of local residents into account.

Graeme Mason, the airport's planning manager, said: "We are committed to sustainable growth that respects the needs of our local communities, meets all regulatory requirements and mitigates against environmental impacts.

"We look forward to discussing our plans with as many local residents as possible."

The five-month public consultation finishes at the end of April.

By the end of 2016, the airport expects to be handling ten million passengers a year. This is expected to generate at least 3,500 jobs on-site and support an estimated 18,300 extra jobs in the region.