George Best Belfast City Airport has won the latest stage of its bid to dramatically increase passenger numbers.

A legal challenge over plans for another one million passengers a year at the east Belfast airport was dismissed today in the High Court.

The five residents' groups that brought a legal challenge over plans to expand the airport have been ordered to pay legal costs of £100,000.

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Lord Justice Girvan said that the residents' challenge was premature.

He said a final decision has not yet been taken on the plans by Assembly Environment Minister Arlene Foster: "It would be inappropriate in an ongoing and incomplete process which has not reached the stage of a decision for the court to be drawn into analysing arguments and evidence which is going to be taken into account in the decision-making process," he said.

A spokesman for the residents' groups said they were disappointed but would continue to oppose the expansion plans.

(BMcC)