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Gatwick Runway Plan Clears Final Legal Hurdle
4 Aug
Summary
- Gatwick's £2.2bn project will enable 100,000 additional flights annually.
- Legal challenges by campaigners have been dismissed by the court of appeal.
- The repositioned emergency runway aims to be operational by 2030.
Gatwick Airport's ambitious £2.2bn project to develop a second runway has been cleared after campaigners lost their legal challenge. The Court of Appeal dismissed a bid by local groups to contest the plans, which were initially approved by the transport secretary.
This significant development will allow Britain's second busiest airport to accommodate approximately 100,000 more flights each year. The plan involves repositioning the airport's emergency runway for routine use by short-haul aircraft, with operations hoped to commence by 2030.
While supporters herald the decision as a major milestone, environmental campaigners expressed disappointment. They argued that the climate impact of the expansion was not sufficiently assessed. This ruling concludes an eight-year planning and legal process for the airport.
Meanwhile, Luton Airport has also seen its expansion plans cleared, with all legal challenges dismissed by the Supreme Court. These plans aim to increase annual passenger capacity and are projected to create thousands of new jobs.
