Gatwick Airport’s two-runway expansion plans that would double its capacity
Gatwick’s Development Consent Order (DCO) papers have been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate, and can be seen by the public. The DCO hearing will probably last for about 6 months, and start by the end of 2023. The airport’s current annual capacity is 32.8million passengers. It wants to double that by building space for an extra 100,000 flights a year, partly by making even more use of its one full runway, and by changing the emergency runway, so it can handle take-offs (it is too short for landings). The project “would also include the development of supporting infrastructure and facilities to enable increased capacity at Gatwick airport to service 75 million passengers per year by 2038”. Final sign off will be decided by the Secretary of State. There is a consortium of 10 local councils (Tandridge, Crawley, East Sussex, Horsham, Kent CC, Mid Sussex, Mole Valley, Reigate and Banstead, Surrey CC and West Sussex CC that is opposed to the expansion plans. They had significant concerns about the poor initial consultation, and poor engagement with the public, by Gatwick before the application was submitted. .Tweet First look at Gatwick Airport’s two-runway expansion plans that would double its capacity The planning inspector has agreed to examine Gatwick’s plan it build a second runway and add 100,000 extra flights a year By Chris Caulfield, Local Democracy Reporter (Get Surrey) 4 AUG 2023 The first details of Gatwick’s multi-billion pound expansion plans – to double capacity and create a second Heathrow Airport in the south east – have emerged. Gatwick originally submitted its bid to create a fully functioning two-runway airport to the planning inspector in July, as it pushes to increase annual capacity to 75 million passengers. The plans have now been released to the public ahead of an expected six-month hearing due to begin at the end of the year. The airport’s current annual capacity is 32.8million passengers. It wants to double that by building space for an extra 100,000 flights a year. The project “would also include the development of supporting infrastructure and facilities to enable increased capacity at Gatwick airport to service 75 million passengers per year by 2038”. READ MORE: Gatwick Airport’s bid to be second Heathrow ‘has bigger local impact than Horse Hill oil drilling’ The plans include: Repositioning northern runway so both can be used together Reconfigured taxiways A new pier Extensions to the north and south terminals New hotel and office space New car parks Highways improvements Opponents, including 10 neighbouring councils, and the Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions (CAGNE), and GACC (Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign) said they were “disappointed” the application is moving forward as they had raised “significant concerns about Gatwick’s approach towards engagement and consultation”. A spokesperson for CAGNE said: “Time and time again, airports that seek expansion and growth during the climate emergency use the same straplines to convince the government that it will be good for th
