Gatwick comes to the end of its consultation period for master plan

Gatwick’s draft master plan was launched for consultation in October 2018 and considers how Gatwick could grow across three scenarios looking ahead to the early 2030s. The three scenarios are:

1. Main runway – using new technology to increase capacity in the near term offering incremental growth through more efficient operations.
2. Standby runway – potentially bringing Gatwick’s existing standby runway into routine use for departing flights, alongside its main runway, by the mid-2020s. This development would meet all international safety requirements and would be delivered without increasing the airport’s noise footprint and provide greater operational resilience.
3. Additional runway – while not actively pursuing the option of building a new runway to the south of the airport, Gatwick believes it is in the national interest to continue to safeguard this land for the future.

Gatwick’s development will help meet future aviation demand with sustainable growth and ensure strong connections between Britain and global markets. It will also provide new opportunities for the South East and continue to bolster the local economy for future generations.

At the end of 2018, 75 per cent of residents surveyed across Sussex, Surrey and Kent said that they supported Gatwick’s growth plans, with just 14 per cent opposing.

Stewart Wingate, Chief executive Officer, Gatwick Airport, said: “Our draft master plan outlines some low-impact and highly innovative ways of unlocking new capacity from within our existing infrastructure.  This will provide the UK with much needed new capacity, improve the airport’s resilience and generate new opportunities for the South East and its economy for generations to come. With only one week left I would encourage as many people as possible to take part in our ongoing consultation on our draft master plan, including anyone who wants to show their support for the airport’s exciting vision for the future.”