Gatwick Plans To Expand, But Campaigners Will Fight Proposals

Gatwick has announced it plans to bring its existing Northern Runway into routine use but the Gatwick Area Conservation Group says it'll be devastating.

The airport says the expansion will generate over eighteen thousand new jobs by 2038 and an estimated £1.5billion to the region. It'll also mean passenger numbers rising to 75 million per year.

This, along with its commitment to cutting its carbon emissions to zero by 2050.

The proposals also include improved airport access, highway improvements, as well as additional landscape/ecological planting and environmental mitigation.

Twelve-week public consultation on the Northern Runway plans will run from 9th September 2021 to 1st December 2021 with materials available at www.gatwickairport.com/futureplans.  

Stewart Wingate, Chief Executive Officer, Gatwick Airport, said:

"While we are currently experiencing low passenger and air traffic volumes due to the global pandemic, we are confident that Gatwick will not only fully recover to previous passenger levels, but has the potential to continue to grow back into one of Europe's premier airports.  

"Our plans to bring our existing Northern Runway into routine use will not only help to secure that growth but will also ensure many thousands of additional jobs and a vital boost to the economy for our local region.   

"We would like to hear views from local people and interested groups on the proposed Northern Runway Project as part of our comprehensive public consultation process and encourage everyone to take time to review our plans. 

"Aside from the economic benefits our plans will have, we remain committed to our sustainability goals, and our Northern Runway plans are designed to be a low impact way of unlocking new capacity from our existing infrastructure, much of which is already in place."   

Meanwhile, The Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign group has said it'll be relaunching it's Gatwick's Big Enough campaign to fight the proposals.

They say it'll  have devastating consequences for the environment, local communities, and people living under flight paths many miles away. 

They added that the airport's expansion over the next 15 years will mean more noise, more CO2 emissions, more congestion on local infrastructure and poorer air quality.

Peter Barclay, Chairman of GACC, said:

"There is no need or other case for expansion at Gatwick. GACC and other local community groups have met and unanimously agreed to challenge these proposals as robustly as possible.

"The world now knows that aviation's growth has climate consequences that it simply can't afford and serious adverse impacts on health through noise and air pollution. This proposal is unnecessary and ill conceived. It must and will be opposed and rejected." 

A spokesperson at Gatwick Airport responded to Mr Barclay's statement:

"We believe our Northern Runway plans can be compatible with UK climate change targets given a strong industry focus on reducing emissions through market-based measures and innovation, including improvements in engine efficiency, the use of sustainable aviation fuels and hydrogen and electric-power technologies. ?

"Achieving Net Zero for the aviation industry is within our reach and the Government's Jet Zero consultation is the next, welcome step toward achieving this important goal and we await the Government's official view on the approach the UK will take on this important issue.  

"A good outcome would lead to significant, coordinated action and cooperation between industry and Government and would also help deliver investment and policies that encourage the development of new low carbon aviation technologies.  

"As aviation is also global in nature, Government must also drive stronger international action on aviation emissions."