Transport secretary 'sets out path to' approving second runway at Gatwick
Planning bosses initially said no - but there is still a way for the West Sussex airport to expand
Last updated 27th Feb 2025
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has "set out a path to approving" Gatwick airport's expansion project, a Government source has said.
This comes after the Planning Inspectorate initially rejected the West Sussex airport's application to bring its emergency runway into routine use.
The Planning Inspectorate then recommended that 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.
It is understood to be the first time the body has recommended an alternative plan when assessing a project.
Gatwick has until April 24th to respond to the new proposals, shortly after which Ms Alexander is expected to make a final decision.
She wrote in a written ministerial statement:
"I have issued a 'minded to approve' letter for the Gatwick Airport Northern Runway Development Consent Order (DCO) under the Planning Act 2008.
"Given the examining authority's report, for the first time, recommends an alternative DCO which includes a range of controls on the operation of the scheme and not all the provisions have been considered during the examination,
"I am issuing a minded to approve decision that provides some additional time to seek views from all parties on the provisions, prior to a final decision."
Gatwick Airport's Chief Executive, Stewart Wingate, said:
“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 £2.2bn 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 £1bn 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.”
Gatwick's £2.2 billion privately financed project would see it move the emergency runway 12 metres north, enabling it to be used for departures of narrow-bodied planes such as Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s.
Speaking before the decision was made, travel economist Andrew Meaney said the expansion is key to the government's growth plans:
"If the northern runway project isn't approved, then it's less opportunities for business to grow, and fewer job opportunities created.
"There's no public money required at all, and it'll generate huge growth to the economy, without the government having to spend a penny."
It's predicted the runway will help serve 75 million passengers per year by the late 2030s.
However, campaigners have bit back at the plans, questioning the impact on local infrastructure, air quality and noise, as well as the sustainability of jobs on offer.
Sally Pavey, chair of campaign group Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions, is now urging the government to "increase their business rates" to make them "pay for the ramification of their operation":
"There is no investment currently going towards the railway line or to anything in the surrounding area.
"With congestion comes declining air quality, who's going to pick up the NHS bill for that?
"There needs to be stringent things in place that say if you breach this air quality....you have to stop operations."
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