The airport estimates passenger numbers will reach 30m a year

A second runway is part of a plan to cope with a predicted three-fold rise in passenger numbers to 30m a year.

The current runway would be extended with a second one built later.

But Jerry Blackett from Birmingham Chamber of Commerce says the expansion is the most important thing for increasing capacity at the airport.

'Negotiating with partners'

"It's the extension to the runway that gives you the reach, the second runway doesn't give you any more capacity in terms of reach, so we are very clear it's the expansion that matters," he said.

Officials at Birmingham International Airport are currently negotiating with new private sector partners.