Dismay as Gatwick Airport expansion gets ‘minded to approve’ nod

CPRE Sussex says taxpayers will be left footing the bill as second runway looking likely to get the green light.

Campaigners have described today’s decision to approve a second runway at Gatwick Airport, subject to changes to some of the planning conditions, as bad economics and ‘totally incompatible with the single biggest threat to our countryside’ – the growing climate crisis.

Transport Secretary of State, Heidi Alexander, indicated in a Written Ministerial Statement on 27 February 2025 that she is ‘minded to approve’ the project, if changes are made to the ‘Development Control Order’ granting permission – with a final decision by October.

Arguments that airport expansion would boost the economy are flawed. A recent report by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) found expanding UK airports will not deliver serious economic growth. Also, a second runway at Gatwick Airport will put pressure on local housing affordability at a time when neighbouring Crawley has already declared a housing emergency.

Gatwick Airport expansion makes achieving net zero targets almost impossible and taxpayers, farmers and homeowners will be left footing the bill for dealing with the impacts of climate breakdown.

A second runway will also lead to increased air and noise pollution, risking the health and wellbeing of residents and blighting the Sussex countryside.