Campaigners consider appeal after Gatwick bids fail
Summary
Campaigners against Gatwick Airport’s expansion lost two High Court challenges but plan to consider an appeal. The expansion will move the emergency runway slightly and increase the airport’s flights from about 280,000 to nearly 389,000 yearly by the late 2030s.Key Facts
- The UK government approved a £2.2 billion plan to expand Gatwick Airport by shifting its emergency runway 12 meters north.
- The expansion aims to allow Gatwick to operate with two runways, increasing flight capacity by over 100,000 flights per year.
- Anti-noise campaign groups Cagne and Peter Barclay challenged the plan, arguing the government didn’t properly assess climate impacts.
- The High Court judge ruled the expansion would not significantly affect the UK’s net zero climate goals and rejected the legal challenges.
- Campaigners said they will consider appealing the decision and continue to oppose the expansion due to concerns about noise, air quality, and infrastructure.
- Gatwick Airport and the Department for Transport defended the plan, calling the legal challenges “unarguable.”
- Gatwick expects the expansion to create 14,000 jobs and generate about £1 billion in economic benefits.
- The judge agreed that the government properly considered the need for expansion and its social and economic effects.
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