Hundreds of jobs will be created if plans take off for the expansion of Shoreham airport.

The airport is set to become a centre for Euro-commuters with planes seating up to 80 people jetting off to cities including Amsterdam, Paris and Brussels.

The airport is jointly owned by Worthing Borough and Brighton and Hove City Councils, which are looking at spending up to £15 million on the expansion and regeneration scheme.

A spokesman for the city council said hundreds of jobs were in the offing, not only at the airport itself but in supporting industries such as tourism.

He said the runway was likely to be extended from its current 1,000m to about 1,500m to accommodate the larger size planes.

The multi-million pound development would also include drainage work and the construction of additional terminal facilities.

The plans are still at an early stage with extensive public consultation exercises and a public enquiry to follow.

A provisional timetable suggests a company could be chosen to develop the airport by the end of the year.

A Government-commissioned report is likely to say Shoreham could accommodate the business flights which are now being squeezed out of overcrowded Gatwick and Heathrow.

The chairman of the cross council airport committee Mike Middleton said: "We're not talking about jumbo jets or competing with Gatwick and Heathrow for long-haul flights.

"But there could be a place for more business services.

"Modern commuter aircraft such as the BAe 146 are very quiet.

"They are the kind of aircraft which fly into London's City Airport without disturbing the neighbours.

"This area still has higher-than-national-

average unemployment, so we should look seriously at these proposals to see how we can get more jobs while minimising impact on the surrounding area."

The idea of expanding Shoreham into a commuter strip was first mooted in 1998 after a report concluded the airport could sustain regular services to Europe if the right operator could be found.

A task force of councillors from Worthing Borough and Brighton and Hove City Councils is likely to be set up to oversee the plan.

Adur District Council and West Sussex County Council members would be offered a place as observers.