An artist impression shows the runway extension at Lydd Airport, left, and new terminal buildings in light grey, bottom right

Lydd Airport has today been given government approval to expand its runway and build a new terminal.

The airport, on Romney Marsh, wants a 960ft runway expansion for passenger jets and a new terminal building for 500,000 passengers a year.

Its controversial bid for planning permission was first submitted more than six years ago and faced strong opposition by some residents, environmentalists and the RSPB.

A public inquiry ended in September 2011 and it was announced today ministers have agreed with a planning inspector's recommendation to grant approval for the £25million development.

Airport managers are now seeking a meeting with Shepway District Council planners to tackle any concerns about the environment, noise and traffic.

It is hoped construction work on the runway will be begin soon after.

Damian Collins, who represents Folkestone and Hythe, hailed the approval - which will bring a jobs boost to the area - as "excellent".

He added: "The expansion allows the runway to be lengthened so flights can be operated over a longer distance.

"At the moment planes are only allowed to fly as far as the south of France, but this will allow flights further into Europe, into Spain and open up a lot more routes."

But the Campaign to Protect Rural England said the decision will "irreversibly damage the wildlife habitat and beautiful landscape unique to the area".

And the wildlife charity RSPB branded the decision "shocking" and expressed "profound concern" for the future of the area.

The expansion will see more flights at Lydd Airport

The airport's owners have already spent £35million over the past decade in modernising the airport, which has operated on the Dungeness peninsula since 1954 and was once one of the busiest airports in the UK – in 1958 it handled 223,000 passengers, which was 37,000 more than Gatwick.

Lydd Airport executive manager Hani Mutlaq said the government's decision was a "victory for common sense and for the people of Romney Marsh".

He promised his management team would move ahead as quickly as possible the project that will "create jobs, boost tourism and revitalise a long-standing economic blackspot".

Mr Mutlaq, pictured right, said: "We submitted our planning applications in December 2006 and it has been a long road to get to where we are today.

"We put forward a compelling case for allowing the controlled development of the airport, and first the local planning authority and now the government has agreed with the overwhelming body of evidence in front of them. The right choice has been made for the future of our community."

The saga over whether or not to develop the airport has dragged on for as long as six years, but Marsh people had anxiously waited for an answer following the end of months of public inquiry in September 2011.

Groups such as Lydd Airport Action Group have also opposed the development for fear of environmental damage.

Neil Sinden, from the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said the environmental damage outweighs any economic benefits.

He said: "This is a terrible decision which threatens one of the few remaining areas of rural tranquillity in heavily pressured south east, and in a county once proudly described as the Garden of England. And it will not just alarm environmentalists.

"There were many in the aviation sector who considered this scheme to be nonsensical and a non-starter. If there are any economic benefits, which is unlikely, they will be heavily outweighed by the environmental damage that it will cause on so many levels.

"Campaigners are bound to consider all legal options to have this disturbing decision overturned."

An aerial view of Lydd Airport

RSPB conservation director Martin Harper said: "This is the wrong decision as it opens the door to real damage to Dungeness, to its wildlife and the quality of life for many of its residents and risks destroying a unique asset that is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people.

"Dungeness is a special place for nature which is recognised globally for the importance of its wildlife. This decision means nowhere is safe and signals that nature is in trouble in the face of unfettered growth – these are worrying times for all who care for Britain's wildlife.

"We will be taking time to review the detail of the decision – and to plan our next steps."

But Shepway District Council leader Cllr Robert Bliss welcomed the move.

He said: "This vindicates the decision we made in March 2010 to approve the expansion plans. We spent several hours debating all the issues and were aware of the environmental concerns expressed by some parties.

"However, we were confident that any impacts could be mitigated and that the undeniable benefits to the Marsh economy outweighed any environmental impacts.

"As a council we believe that the expansion plans will offer an economic lifeline to the Marsh. The area is losing its power stations at Dungeness and there is no other significant employer waiting in the wings.

"An expanded airport will have the capacity to provide a range of jobs - both directly and indirectly and this must be good for our Marsh community."