London Gatwick has issued a response to a recent statement made in a letter published by the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, which states she is ‘minded to grant consent’ for the airport’s new Northern Runway planning application, with the secretary also calling for feedback on additional conditions recommended by the Panning Inspectorate.
London Gatwick has stated that it will accept stricter limits on aircraft noise, putting forward an improved noise insulation initiative for local residents concerned.
London Gatwick has also conceded to requirements that 54% of passengers must use public transport prior to the introduction of the Northern Runway into full operation, reiterating the need for third parties, including the Department for Transport (DfT), to support the targets in order to achieve total success.
In the event of the target not being reached, London Gatwick has proposed an alternative cars-on-the-road limit that would need to be met before the Northern Runway’s first use in order to address concerns about possible congestion on surrounding roads, with failure to meet either the aforementioned or this target seeing a lengthy delay whilst Gatwick completes 350 million GBP of road improvements to ensure a proper flow of traffic.
Stewart Wingate, CEO, London Gatwick, said:This project represents a £2.2billion investment, fully funded by our shareholders and it is essential that any planning conditions enable us to make full use of the Northern Runway. We are confident that our amended proposals will allow us to grow sustainably and meet passenger demand, while addressing the matters raised by the Secretary of State in her letter, including noise and environmental impacts.
Growth is at the heart of the Government’s agenda and we are fully supportive of the drive to work with businesses to create good quality jobs, reignite the economy and drive innovation around the country. Our plans will create 14,000 jobs and generate £1billion a year in economic benefits. By increasing resilience and capacity we can also support the UK’s position as a leader in global connectivity and deliver substantial trade and economic growth in the South East and beyond.
We look forward to receiving the Secretary of State’s final decision later this year.
London Gatwick’s plans to bring its Northern Runway into routine use. This would unlock additional capacity for international services, including vital long-haul routes to China. The 2.2 billion GBP project, financed privately, could be operational by the end of the decade.
The Northern Runway Expansion is expected to generate significant economic benefits, including 1 billion GBP annually for the UK economy and the creation of 14,000 jobs.
Passenger numbers at Gatwick could increase from over 40 million today to 75 million by the late 2030s, supporting the Government’s growth agenda.
A final decision on the service expansion is expected to be made by the Secretary of State for Transport by 27 October 2025.
