The UK Transport Secretary has approved Gatwick Airport's £2.2 billion second runway project, which aims to significantly increase capacity by allowing the emergency runway to be used for departures, potentially enabling flights from the new runway before 2029.

A government source highlighted that the expansion is crucial for boosting trade, tourism, and business, with plans to possibly begin operations before the next general election, around 2024 or 2025.

Gatwick projects the expansion will unlock significant economic growth, with benefits including increased tourism, trade, and job creation, supporting the UK’s broader economic strategy.

The project involves relocating the airport’s emergency runway 12 meters north to support narrow-bodied aircraft like Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s, with the new runway expected to start operations before the next general election.

This approval followed initial rejection by the Planning Inspectorate, which was later overridden after modifications to address concerns about noise and environmental impact, including targets for public transport use and noise insulation for residents.

To mitigate noise pollution, residents affected by new flight paths will be offered support such as triple-glazed windows, and homeowners near the new runway may receive assistance with stamp duty, moving costs, and estate agent fees if they choose to sell.

The expansion includes upgrades to transport infrastructure, such as road improvements, fly-overs to separate local traffic, and a £250 million railway station upgrade completed in November 2023, all financed privately by Gatwick.

The entire £2.2 billion project will be privately financed by Gatwick, with no increase in airline charges, and is projected to generate around £1 billion annually in economic benefits and create 14,000 new jobs.

Environmental groups and local campaigners, including CAGNE, oppose the expansion due to concerns over environmental impact, noise, housing, and wastewater, and have announced plans to seek judicial review, criticizing the government’s disregard for environmental considerations.

Despite opposition, the government emphasizes that the expansion will adhere to strict environmental and climate commitments, including measures to reduce noise and pollution, and will be conducted with full environmental assessments.

Critics, including environmental groups and opposition politicians like Zack Polanski, argue that the expansion conflicts with climate change commitments and will lead to increased pollution and noise, though industry officials defend it as vital for economic growth.