Gatwick welcomes government stance on new runway

The widely expected news that the UK government is set to approve Gatwick’s plan to bring its second runway into regular use has been welcomed by the airport.

Earlier today, Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said that she was “minded to approve” the airport’s expansion plan, which would effectively change the status if its northern runway to allow it to handle more than just taxiing aircraft or as a back-up.

And although her comments are far from the green light for the plan, which would still need planning permission, Gatwick is confident that approval is only a matter of time.

Gatwick CEO, Stewart Wingate, says: “We welcome today’s announcement that the Secretary of State for Transport is minded to approve our Northern Runway plans and has outlined 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. We will of course engage fully in the extended process for a final decision.

“We stand ready to deliver this project which will create 14,000 jobs and generate £1 billion a year 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.”