MANCHESTER Airport is arguably the North West's biggest success story. Continued development -- including the opening of the second runway by the end of the year -- is a vital element in the business life of the region. We asked Cllr Brian Harrison, the chairman of the Manchester Airport Board, to give us his views on the future for this great wealth-creator. Cllr Harrison, who serves on Manchester City Council, joined the board in 1987 and became chairman in 1998 after a spell as deputy chairman. He writes: IN common with other airports world-wide, Manchester Airport is growing rapidly.

Over the past decade we have grown from handling four million passengers per year to handling 18 million this year.

We now have more than 100 airlines serving 180 destinations world-wide.

Our long term business strategy, based upon robust forecasting, estimates that passenger numbers will reach 40.7 million by 2015.

This growth will be a prime factor in ensuring that the local and regional economies grow in a sustainable way.

It will provide opportunities for indigenous businesses to expand and access new markets, it will encourage trans-national companies to locate and invest in the region and it will increase, dramatically, the overseas visitors to the region.

One of the main attractions of Manchester Airport, especially to the business passenger, is our extensive flight network which allows passengers to fly direct to the world's main commercial centres such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, Malaysia, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia and most European capitals.

Our Business Development team is determined that this choice will be extended by introducing new routes to un-served destinations -- saving passengers the inconvenience of having to connect at Heathrow or some other European airport. We are also supporting increased frequencies on established routes to provide greater flexibility for the busy passenger.

The introduction of new routes and the increasing use of wide-bodied aircraft have brought added benefit to the airport.

For too long, freight, originating in the North, has had to be transported to the South East airports by road causing congestion and environmental harm.

Now our cargo centre is experiencing a marked increase in volumes and last year handled a record 112,371 tonnes of freight. This growth will continue and will bring more businesses much closer to their customers and suppliers.

The Airport is also a key employment generator.

There are 270 businesses located on site, ranging from airlines to cleaning companies, catering to specialist engineering.

By 2015, it is expected that between 137,000-177,000 jobs nationwide will be dependent on the airport -- 60,000-68,000 of them in the North West region.

Having an international airport gives the North West a critical advantage in attracting inward investment and enabling new and existing companies to grow in our region.

And although employment is one of the major ways in which the airport contributes to the region, it also leads on initiatives like the local Wythenshawe Education Action Zone to improve the links between industry and education and provide new opportunities for young people in the neighbouring community.

The airport is pioneering a National Health Service Walk-in Centre bringing medical services direct to the travelling public and employees at the airport.

These are just two examples of how the airport acts as a magnet for different types of activity, providing innovative approaches and new services to the community.

Manchester Airport is run as a commercial plc and is publicly owned by the City of Manchester and the nine local authorities in the Greater Manchester area -- including Bolton and Bury.

This means that local stakeholders have a very clear share in the airport's success from both its economic powerhouse effect and from the airport dividends reinvested in local communities.

The business purpose of Manchester Airport is to maximise the profitable growth of its airport-related and other businesses in a way which brings sustainable economic, financial and social benefits to the North West region. This purpose underpins many other areas where the airport has region-wide perspective on its responsibilities. In the arts, for example, over £10 million of airport profits have been invested over the last decade or more in the region's theatres, music and arts activities.

The aim is to create world class cultural events and a reputation for artistic excellence both for the local community and the visitor alike.

Last year, the Prime Minister presented the airport with the prestigious national Business in the Community "Arts in Action" award.

In environmental excellence, the airport is determined to stay ahead of the field.

This is fundamental to our ability to grow.

It means continuing to invest in landscape and habitat management, noise reduction, community relations and in grants to help local communities with environmental projects.

This year, an initiative has been to set up community relations advice centres in local communities directly affected by the airport's operations -- Cheadle Hulme and Knutsford.

We are the first UK airport to do this and it does show that we are prepared to listen to and act on local people's concerns.

Manchester Airport is a North West success story and is an important player in meeting national aviation demand in the UK.

More than that, it is one of the major business growth forces in the North West region, generating a significant economic impact rippling well beyond the boundaries of the airport site itself.

But this is only the beginning -- aviation growth is estimated to double over the next 10-15 years, bringing further economic, job creation and social regeneration benefits throughout our region.

And the people of the North West will share in that success.