The work on the 3km long runway will take place at night to minimise the impact on the local community and airport operations.

Over the course of the project, around 50,000 tonnes of asphalt will be laid over an area the size of 25 football pitches, and 1,300 runway lights will be replaced with LEDs. Work will be carried out five nights a week between Saturday and Wednesday.

In the first 11 weeks, the runway will be closed between midnight and 6am, while in phase two it will remain open but at a reduced length to allow flights to continue operating.

Neil Thompson, Stansted’s planning and development director, said: "Handling up to 50 aircraft movements an hour, the runway is obviously a key asset for the airport so it’s critical it is maintained to the highest standard at a busy international gateway such as London Stansted.

"The whole project has been meticulously planned, and we aim to complete the work as quickly and safely as possible to limit the disruption on the operation of the airport and minimise any impacts for our local community."