Gatwick Northern Runway Expansion Gains Government approval
London Gatwick Airport has been granted development consent for its long-anticipated Northern Runway project, a £2.2 billion infrastructure expansion that marks a major milestone in the airport’s future growth.
Key Highlights
- The Secretary of State for Transport formally approved the Development Consent Order (DCO), paving the way for the Northern Runway to enter routine use alongside the existing main runway.
- The repositioning of the runway’s centre line by 12 metres northwards will enable dual runway operations, in line with international safety and operational standards.
- The expansion is projected to inject £1 billion annually into the UK economy and generate approximately 14,000 new jobs across the south east.
- The privately financed project, delivered without public subsidy, aims to accommodate up to 80 million passengers per year.
- Most construction will occur within the current airport boundary to minimise disruption, and the schedule is designed to phase works carefully.
Project Timeline & Process
- Gatwick submitted its DCO application to the Planning Inspectorate in July 2023, followed by acceptance for detailed examination in August 2023.
- After a rigorous public consultation process and a six-month independent examination (concluded August 2024), the government issued a “minded to approve” letter in February 2025.
- The Airport responded in April 2025 with refined proposals addressing noise, transport, and environmental conditions.
- Final consent was granted on 21 September 2025, allowing Gatwick to begin detailed implementation steps.
Strategic and Community Commitments
Gatwick emphasises that the Northern Runway plan is not merely about expansion — it’s about long-term resilience, connectivity, and sustainable growth. The scheme includes provisions for:
- Noise mitigation and airspace modernisation, with a Noise Contour Viewer available to the public for transparency.
- Investment in public transport and surface access improvements to reduce road traffic impacts.
- Phased construction within existing boundaries to reduce environmental and local disruption.
What Comes Next
With formal consent in hand, Gatwick will move into detailed design and preparatory works, working closely with regulators, local authorities, and communities. While construction is ambitious in scale, the airport expects to start phased runway operations towards the turn of the decade.
Gatwick’s Northern Runway project stands as one of the UK’s most significant aviation infrastructure ventures in decades — promising to strengthen the UK’s global connections, power regional growth, and redefine how the South East moves.
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For more detailed information, technical documents, maps, and project updates, see Gatwick’s official site here.
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