Airport expansion

The demand for air travel is forecast to grow, because people want to go abroad on holiday; stay in touch with families and friends, and to meet business clients. Aviation plays a vital role in supporting high-value trade in manufacturing and services, which are important in helping the UK’s participation in the global economy.

Government policy

The UK Government published The Future of Air Transport White Paper in 2003, setting the context for airport development in the UK up to 2030. The White Paper said that the first priority was to make best use of existing runways. It also said that there should be two new runways in the south east between now and 2030: the first at Stansted, followed as quickly as possible by a third short runway at Heathrow, but only if strict noise and air quality limits could be met. It said that land should be safeguarded for a second runway at Gatwick after 2019, in case a new runway at Heathrow could not meet the environmental limits.

We support the Government’s plans to allow the growth of aviation, within environmental limits, as we believe it’s vital in protecting the UK’s trade competitiveness and tourist industry. Expansion of airport infrastructure is also important to address the overcrowding and delays experienced by passengers, such as those in the summer of 2006.

At Gatwick we are committed to responsible growth, in line with the government’s policy. This means that we want to achieve maximum use of the airport’s single runway, and so we expect Gatwick’s annual passenger traffic to reach around 40 million in around ten years time.

We described Gatwick’s future as a single runway airport, or with the possible addition of a second runway after 2019, in our interim master plan in October 2006.

In 2007, following thorough discussion with our local authorities, we completed a review of our sustainable development commitments. These describe the way in which Gatwick’s operation and growth, in line with our interim master plan, will be complemented by actions to manage and mitigate its environmental and community impacts.

We continue to talk to Crawley Borough Council about their emerging Local Development Framework, which led to the council’s adoption of its Core Strategy in November 2007. This includes a policy relating to Gatwick as a single runway airport and, as required by the 2003 White Paper, safeguards the area of land which our interim master plan sets out as the site for a possible second runway and related facilities.

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