Gatwick approved for second runway as government backs £2.2 billion plan

Gatwick Airport has won government backing for a £2.2 billion plan to build a second runway, a privately financed expansion that would move the airport’s emergency runway 13 yards north so it can be used as a full-length runway for narrow-body aircraft. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander approved the scheme after reviewing adjustments intended to address noise concerns and the share of passengers who would travel to and from the airport by public transport. The decision comes with the expectation that the expanded airport could help unlock significant growth in business, tourism and trade for the Southeast.

The plan would enable about 100,000 additional flights a year, according to officials familiar with the decision. Gatwick handled roughly 265,000 flights in 2024, and supporters say the extra capacity would relieve bottlenecks constraining regional growth. A government source said the secretary’s approval reflects a straightforward path to expanding capacity while delivering on environmental safeguards and community mitigations. It is possible that planes could be taking off from a new full runway at Gatwick before the next general election, subject to ongoing climate and local-impacts requirements.

The Planning Inspectorate had initially rejected Gatwick’s application and, earlier this year, recommended approval only if certain changes were implemented. With those adjustments in place, Alexander felt comfortable signing off on the project. Gatwick says the expansion would generate about £1 billion per year in economic benefits and create approximately 14,000 additional jobs across the region, with supporters arguing that easing capacity constraints is critical for business, trade and tourism.

Officials emphasize that the project would still have to meet the government's legally binding climate-change commitments and other strict environmental requirements. The government has framed the Gatwick decision as part of a broader push to increase airport capacity in the Southeast to support growth while pursuing net-zero goals.

The Gatwick development comes as Heathrow Airport, the region’s other major hub, filed plans on Aug. 1 for a third runway to address surging demand. Heathrow reported more than eight million monthly passengers in August 2025 and recorded its busiest day on Aug. 1, with roughly 270,000 travelers passing through the terminals. Those plans have met protests from environmental groups and some residents, who warn that additional runways would drive up CO2 emissions at a time when the Labour government is pursuing ambitious net-zero targets. Campaigners say the expansion would reshape local communities, and opponents point to the potential displacement of residents and the loss of historic buildings in areas such as Sipson, Harlington and Harmondsworth.

Environmental advocates and local residents have argued that the combined expansion of Gatwick and Heathrow could exacerbate emissions and noise in the region. Opponents of the Heathrow proposal say the scale of disruption, including compulsory purchases and possible demolition of hundreds of buildings, raises questions about the balance between economic growth and quality of life for nearby communities. The government has indicated it intends to move forward with the necessary planning processes, while insisting that any expansion aligns with climate and environmental safeguards and local mitigation plans.