The U.K. government has given provisional approval for the construction of a second runway at Gatwick Airport, subject to certain conditions being met. The proposed expansion involves moving Gatwick's northern runway to allow for departures of narrow-bodied planes like Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s. Currently, the northern runway is used for taxiing and emergencies only.
Gatwick Airport, located about 40 miles south of London, is the busiest single-runway airport in the country, serving over 40 million passengers annually. The project is estimated to cost £2.2 billion and will be privately funded.
The Transport Secretary has indicated her support for the expansion, pending improvements to the plan. These enhancements include addressing noise reduction measures and ensuring a certain percentage of passengers use public transportation to access the airport.
The airport authorities have until April 24 to respond to the revised proposals. A final decision is expected to be made shortly after, with a deadline extension granted until October 27.
However, the government's decision has faced criticism from climate change activists. They argue that expanding air travel will not significantly boost economic growth and will instead lead to increased air pollution, noise, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Greenpeace U.K.'s policy director expressed concerns over the potential environmental impact of the runway expansion, calling the decision a move driven by desperation rather than evidence-based economic strategy.
