FOUR million passengers a year could be flying in and out of Bournemouth Airport within the next 25 years.

That's the forecast for the future of Britain's fastest growing regional airport where, by 2030, passenger numbers are expected to soar to four times the present one million per year.

Passenger traffic has already taken off dramatically in the past decade since the launch of Ryanair low fares services followed by other budget airlines including Thomsonfly, easyJet, Thomas Cook and Air Berlin alongside long-standing holiday charter operators such as Palmair.

And the continuing boom in low-cost, short haul travel is predicted to fuel even faster growth over the next nine years, with three million passengers a year anticipated by 2015.

Bournemouth Airport, part of the Manchester Airport Group since 2001, was earmarked two years ago for expansion in a Department of Transport white paper as a prime location for expansion to ease pressure on overloaded London airports.

Now Bournemouth Airport's vision for meeting the government targets is set out in a draft master plan published tomorrow at the start of a three-month public consultation exercise.

The 50-page document sets out how, when and where the airport can develop to provide local economic boom without environmental bust.

Airport managing director Peter Duffy said: "Our key objective is to grow the business profitably to maximise the significant social and economic benefits the airport brings to the regions."

"As we grow we aim to maintain our good relations with the surrounding community by embracing measures leading to sustainable aviation."

Mr Duffy stressed that sustainability was at the heart of the long-term strategy with a phased extension and renewal of the existing 20-year-old terminal complex now proposed in place of the previously permitted new building on open land in the south-west corner of the airport.

Work on the terminal extension could start as early as next year along with a rolling programme of car park expansion to add more than 3,500 extra spaces during the master plan period.

The master plan drawn up in conjunction with local and regional planners over the past year also includes provisions for road improvements, revised taxi way and apron layouts on the airfield, transport and environmental schemes.

It is available online at www.bournemouthairport.co.uk or from the airport, council offices and libraries. Comments should be returned by October 7.