Attempts to expand London City Airport are continuing, with plans unveiled to take it into the water.

The airport has asked for permission to acquire part of the King George V Dock.

An airport spokesman confirmed the extension would allow additional aircraft parking stands to be built over the dock, while water would still pass underneath.

He added: “The land, which is 30ft under water and will remain so, is necessary to deliver the City Airport Development Programme which will bring 1,600 new jobs to Newham.”

The new proposals comes after the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, blocked a £220m bid to increase the airport’s size and capacity back in March.

But the new consultation, which runs until Saturday, can only be looked at by visiting the airport.

Chairman of campaign group HACAN East, John Stewart, said: “This is no way to carry out a consultation.

“Although the airport did put a couple of adverts in local papers, virtually nobody knows that they could lose part of the Thames.”

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced on Thursday that it will allow the airport to concentrate its flight paths.

Planes will now fly over the Thames Estuary for a significantly longer period, with flights departing to the south able to climb earlier than they do at the moment.

Phil Roberts, head of airspace, air traffic management and aerodromes at the CAA, said: “The changes we have approved will bring significant benefits to both air passengers and many communities currently overflown by aircraft.

“These changes move significant numbers of flights away from populated areas and will reduce overall emissions.”

But the changes have been criticised by HACAN East, who are considering legal action.

Mr Stewart said: “Many people will be in utter despair of the decision. It means that residents who were hardly overflown at all by planes from London City a few years back face the prospect of living under a concentrated flight path for the rest of their lives.”