In context

The decision to build Britain’s third airport at Stansted came against a background of 10 years of discussion. More than 3,000 people from towns and villages in north Essex and east Hertfordshire took part in a rally in the weeks following the announcement.

The airport’s first terminal building opened in 1969 and was expanded a year later to handle a growing number of holidaymakers.

In 1979 it was, once again, designated as London’s third airport.

In 1984, the government approved a plan to develop Stansted in two phases, involving both airfield and terminal improvements that would increase the airport’s capacity to 15 million passengers per year. Construction of the current terminal building began in 1986 and was completed in 1991.