Protesters vow to battle on to stop the new runway

Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) supporters plan to stage their demonstration as BAA, which runs the airport, gives a media briefing on how it would manage the recently-announced new runway development.

The plan was given the go-ahead by Transport Secretary Alistair Darling on Tuesday when he unveiled the Government's long-awaited plans for the development of aviation over the next 30 years.

But the SSE group believes the extra noise and fumes it would create would damage the quality of life of people living in the area.

We are showing BAA that we are going to be the biggest thorn in their side Carol Barbone

The group's campaign director Carol Barbone said "quite a substantial number of protesters" would be outside the meeting at Endeavour House, near the Essex airport.

"We are showing BAA that we are going to be the biggest thorn in their side," she said.

"They haven't seen anything yet."

Following the announcement, campaigners told BBC News Online they are planning a whole clutch of legal challenges to the proposals.

The government White Paper said Stansted's new runway should be ready by 2011 or 2012.