Gatwick gets provisional go ahead for second runway
February 27, 2025
The UK Government has confirmed it is minded to approve a second runway at London Gatwick Airport. An extended deadline has been granted with the expectation approval will be granted if improvements to the plan are met, including on noise reduction.
Owned by Vinci Airports and Global Infrastructure Partners and situated approximately 30 miles south of London in East Sussex, Gatwick is the UK’s busiest single-runway airport, handling over 40 million passengers annually. The airport’s proposal to build a second runway involves relocating the existing northern runway, which is currently used solely for taxiing or as a backup.
The development is part of Gatwick’s plans to expand capacity and improve operational efficiency. The relocation of the current emergency runway 12 metres north would enable it to be used for departures of narrow-bodied aircraft, including Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s.
Extended deadline
Stewart Wingate, CEO at London Gatwick, welcomed Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary’s announcement that she was “minded to approve” the expansion with a clear pathway to full approval later in the year.
“It is vital that any planning conditions attached to the final approval enable us to make a decision to invest £2.2 billion in this project and realise the full benefits of bringing the Northern Runway into routine use,” said Wingate.
He also emphasised that the airport is fully engaged in the extended process for a final decision. As well as noise mitigation, modifications to the project, which was adapted by planning inspectors, relate to issues such as the proportion of passenger who travel to and from the airport using public transport. The airport has until 24 April to respond to the new proposals and although the final deadline for approval has been extended to 27 October, Alexander is expected to make a final decision before then.
“We stand to deliver this project which will create 14,000 jobs and generate £1bn in economic benefits. By increasing resilience and capacity we can support the UK’s position as a leader in global connectivity and deliver substantial trade and economic growth in the South East and more broadly. We have also outlined to government how we plan to grow responsibly to meet increasing passenger demand, while minimising noise and environmental impacts.”
In the footsteps of Heathrow
The extended deadline for Gatwick comes just weeks after the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, gave her backing to the construction of a third runway at London Heathrow. However, while the UK’s busiest airport has received the political nod for its £20 billion runway scheme (which is not expected to be complete before 2035), Heathrow has yet to receive planning approval for its runway, which could take up to two years. It could also see the demolition of hundreds of homes, diverting rivers and rerouting a section of the M25 motorway.
Gatwick meanwhile has ticked all planning boxes over the past seven year, with the Government’s approval the final piece of the puzzle ahead of securing an additional £2.2 billion of capital investment, which will be allocated to the airfield, but also to upgrading the terminals and local road network.
