Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has ‘set out a path’ to approving Gatwick's £2.2bn Northern Runway plans to bring the emergency runway into routine use.

All the signs pointed to Alexander approving the plans, which will see 100,000 more flights at Gatwick, creating around 14,000 jobs and and inject £1 billion into the region's economy every year. The plans are being opposed by campaign groups, who say they will launch legal challenges against the project.

But the Planning Inspectorate initially rejected the West Sussex airport's application to bring its emergency runway into routine use. The Planning Inspectorate then recommended Ms Alexander should give the project the go-ahead if adjustments are made on issues such as the proportion of passengers who travel to and from the airport by public transport, and noise mitigation.

The airport has until April 24 to respond.