London City airport has criticised the decision to refuse planning permission for expansion after concerns over the increase in noise for local residents.
London mayor Boris Johnson instructed Newham Council to refuse the application as “it does not adequately mitigate and manage its adverse noise impacts”.
In February, LCY was granted approval for the £220 million investment which would have seen an extended terminal, additional parking and new taxiways for larger aircraft.
The airport said it was “disappointed” and “perplexed” by the decision saying it goes against everything that the Mayor supports and promotes”.
“It is ironic that the Mayor of London, whose platform has always been one of advantage for business in London, is denying the capital the business opportunity presented by growth at London City Airport," said LCY CEO Declan Collier.
“It is doubly ironic that this decision was taken on LCY’s busiest-ever day, when more than 16,500 passengers passed through the terminal. Demand for the connectivity the airport provides is growing, driven by the success of London as a global business centre, and to service this demand, the airport needs to grow.”
A spokesman for the mayor told the BBC he believed the scheme would have lead to an "unacceptable increase in noise for East Londoners" without benefitting the city.
LCY said "it’s considering the substance of the mayor’s direction to refuse and will make a decision on its response strategy in due course".