Expansion of London Gatwick Airport could go ahead under Government growth plans

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Expansion at London Gatwick Airport – with the use of a second runway - could go ahead under new Government growth plans.

The airport’s expansion is being looked at by the Treasury, along with plans for a third runway at Heathrow and increased capacity at Luton Airport, according to news outlets.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to make an announcement on the airports in a speech next week.

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Meanwhile, the Government is due to make a decision on Gatwick’s expansion by February 27. Airport bosses want to increase its capacity to 75 million passengers per year by the late 2030s. If the go-ahead is given, the plans will see Gatwick’s current emergency runway – its ‘northern runway’ – brought into routine use.

Expansion of London Gatwick Airport could go ahead under Government growth plansExpansion of London Gatwick Airport could go ahead under Government growth plans
Expansion of London Gatwick Airport could go ahead under Government growth plans

London Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate said: “At London Gatwick, we can be a major part of the Government’s drive for growth. We are already contributing over £5.5billion to the UK economy and supporting over 76,000 jobs, but unless we can access greater airport capacity the UK will miss out on opportunities to enhance global connectivity and unlock further opportunities for trade, tourism and job creation. "Bringing our Northern Runway into routine use, through a £2.2 billion privately financed, shovel-ready investment will create 14,000 jobs and generate £1 billion a year in economic benefits. The project, which is due for government approval early next year, could be operational by the end of the decade. "We have put forward a strong and compelling case focused around making best use of our existing infrastructure, minimising noise and environmental impacts and meeting the four ‘tests’ for airport expansion set by Labour.

But a spokesperson for CAGNE – Communities Against Gatwick Noise and Emissions – says: "It is disgraceful of this government to ignore public opinion and all the facts that this is a new runway and not compliant to the policy being used by the airport to achieve a new runway by stealth. The Airport Commission found that there was only the need for one runway in the South East and it was not at Gatwick Airport.

“If this story is true it opens the door to us communities concerned about the decline in our wellbeing to benefit the shareholders of Gatwick Airport. Any airport expansion shows a lack of understanding and priority placed by this government towards global warming and yet we see the signs constantly on the news of flooding, fires and rising temperatures.

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"Aviation is one of the biggest polluters this planet suffers and yet a new runway would add 1 1/2 m tonnes of extra carbon a year plus greenhouse gases, and there are no true decarbonising factors that will reduce this as with more planes comes more CO2 and noise.”

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