Gatwick submits plans for second runway to double passenger numbers
Gatwick has formally submitted plans for a £2.2bn second runway, as the airport looks to double its passenger numbers to 75 million a year. There are the usual claims of more jobs and “a £1bn annual boost to the region”, which ignores the impact of yet more holiday flights, taking money out of the region and reducing tourism spend in the UK. The additional flights would significantly worsen noise and air pollution, as well as carbon emissions, from the airport. The 30,000-page application for a Development Consent Order to convert its standby runway for routine use was lodged with the Planning Inspectorate on 6th. The process is expected to take about a year before it reaches the Transport Secretary for final approval. The project will convert the emergency runway by moving its centreline 12 metres north, allowing planes to take off while others come in to land on the existing runway. There are road changes with additional local road lanes and flyovers. Gatwick has hopes work will start in 2025 for the runway to be in use by 2030. The political decision may potentially be just before or after a general election in 2025. The extra million tonnes of CO2 per year are totally inappropriate, with worsening climate change and global heating already apparent. .Tweet Gatwick submits plans for second runway to double passenger numbers Airport says runway will generate £1bn for region but campaigners argue it will worsen pollution and emissions Gwyn Topham and Simrin Rahman (Guardian) Thu 6 Jul 2023 London Gatwick has formally submitted plans for a £2.2bn second runway, as the airport looks to double its passenger numbers to 75 million a year. Gatwick said the planned runway would generate 14,000 jobs and bring a £1bn annual boost to the region. Campaigners said the additional flights would significantly worsen noise and air pollution, as well as carbon emissions, from the airport. The Sussex airport’s 30,000-page application for a development consent order to convert its standby runway for routine use was lodged with the Planning Inspectorate on Thursday. The process is expected to take about a year before it reaches the transport secretary for final approval. Stewart Wingate, Gatwick’s chief executive, said the scheme would “help secure the long-term future of the airport and economic prosperity” in the region. “If approved, our plan will also improve airport resilience, meet future passenger demand, and increase competition in the London airport market, by providing vital new international connections,” he added. The project will convert a taxiway used as an emergency runway by moving its centreline 12 metres north, allowing planes to take off while others come in to land on the existing runway. Most construction will be within the airport perimeter, bar stretches of additional local road lanes and flyovers, and Gatwick has said it hopes work will start in 2025 for the runway to be in use by 2030. With a decision potentially landing just before or after a general election, Wingate said the plan should “stand on its own merits irrespective of party politics”. He insisted the plan met current government policy of “maximising the use of existing runways”, and was compatible with the “jet zero” ambition for net zero flying by 2050. However, the airport has lost significant support from key political figures and last week the committee on climate change urged the government to pause any further airport expansion to meet the UK’s 2050 net zero commitments. A spokesperson for the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who was previously a vocal back
