Aerospace

Gatwick refines Northern Runway plan

Posted 8 December 2023

Since submitting its Northern Runway plans to the Planning Inspectorate, London Gatwick has refined its proposal and identified three changes to reduce its environmental impact even further, while also providing additional design flexibility.

Image courtesy Gatwick Airport / VINCI Airports

Before submitting these changes to the Planning Inspectorate, the airport will next week (13th December 2023) open a consultation so that the public, landowners and other stakeholders can give their views on the proposed changes.

These views will be taken into account before the airport submits a request to amend its DCO application to the Planning Inspectorate. It will be for the Planning Inspectorate to decide if the changes can be made to the application and included in the examination.

The consultation will close at 11:59pm on 21st January 2024.

The airport proposes making the three separate changes to the Project below. Further detailed information on these changes and information on how to submit responses to the consultation will be available on the London Gatwick website once the consultation is live.

Project Change 1: Increase to the design parameters for the North Terminal International Departure Lounge proposed southern extension
Project Change 2: Reduction in the height and change in the purpose of the replacement Central Area Recycling Enclosure (CARE) facility
Project Change 3: Revision to the Surface Water Treatment Works system

London Gatwick’s application to bring its Northern Runway into routine use, alongside its Main Runway, was accepted for examination by the Planning Inspectorate on 3rd August 2023.

The airport’s Northern Runway plan would create around 14,000 new jobs and inject £1 billion into the region’s economy every year from increased tourism, trade, supply-chain, and other business opportunities.

Tim Norwood, Chief Planning Officer, London Gatwick, said: “Our engagement with the public and stakeholders to date has been invaluable in helping us shape our Northern Runway plans. However, since the submission of our DCO application we have identified a number of small improvements we would like to make to our proposal. We are therefore asking for views on three discrete changes to our plans and would welcome any feedback people may want to make.”