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UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has indicated that if the airport changes its plans, it will approve a second runway in Gatwick, as the government bets on a massive expansion of London’s airport to promote economic growth.
Alexander said the airport intends to approve the plan later this year if it agrees to “various management regarding the operation of the scheme.”
Authorities say it includes stronger goals to quickly implement public transport access to the site and noise mitigation schemes.
The Planning Inspector’s report on Thursday recommended that Gatwick reject the original application, but unusually states that the application will be approved if changes are made.
Alexander gave Gatwick an April 24 deadline to revamp his plans.
In a written statement from the minister, Alexander said he issued the second runway that he “keep in mind that he approves the letter.”
However, she said that “additional time” was required to seek feedback from the relevant parties, and that the final decision was extended by nine months.
Gatwick did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the government’s proposed changes to its £2.2 billion construction plan.
The project will significantly expand capacity by moving a 12-meter emergency landing zone north at the UK’s second busiest airport. The relocation places plenty of space between the strip and the existing runway, allowing both to operate simultaneously.
The project allowed us to see the plane take off from the second runway by the end of the current council in 2029.
One government official said the decision was a “significant step forward” and demonstrated that the government “doesn’t stop anything” to bring about economic growth.
“Expansion brings great benefits to the business and represents a victory for vacationers,” they said. “We want to provide this opportunity in line with our legal, environmental and climate obligations.”
Gatwick, about 30 miles south of central London, said the second full-time runway would allow 75 million passengers a year by the late 2030s, from the record 46.5 million travelers who used the airport in 2019.
Planning Inspectors require Gatwick to adopt a legally binding target of at least 54% of passengers arriving at the airport via public transport. Gatwick previously argued that he did not want the Target to be legally binding, and both sides are seeking a compromise.
The planning inspector also asked Gatwick to change the original noise mitigation plan.
Gatwick has presented its expansion plan as a relatively low-risk way to add new runways to London’s airport capacity. This is because work will take place within existing boundaries compared to years of politically controversial proposals to add a third runway to Heathrow. However, local campaigners say they will challenge a decision in favor of the new runway in Gatwick, courtrooms.
Prime Minister Rachel Reeves said last month that the flight could take off from Heathrow’s third runway “in 10 years.” She said that Heathrow’s expansion “will unlock further growth, increase investment, increase exports, make the UK more open and connected.”
Management of the UK’s only hub has pledged to submit detailed proposals by this summer. However, some Labour lawmakers remain skeptical about the expansion of Heathrow, and it is unlikely that planning permission will be granted until the end of the current assembly in 2029.
Alexander will take control of plans for expansion at Luton Airport in north London in the coming weeks.
Whitehall officials said she is keen to approve new infrastructure and terminal capacity and construction of taxable routes, as long as concerns about the noise of the Chiltern hills can be addressed.
London’s Stansted and city airports have approved their own expansion plans.
Taken together, the expanded airport can handle 309 million passengers each year. This is an 85% increase from the 167 million people used in the most recent 2023 where the complete data is available, according to an analysis by the Financial Times.
Reeves said last month that the airport’s expansion is compatible with the government’s legally binding Zero 2050 target, referring to what is called sustainable aviation fuel “cleaner and greener flight.”
However, climate groups have argued that such an increase in passenger numbers is incompatible with the 2050 target, given the difficulty of air debonising.
This story was updated to clarify that Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander gave himself to make the final decision until October.
