Gatwick campaigners want to appeal after runway fight fails

Campaigners against the expansion of Gatwick Airport have lost two High Court challenges against the government. They said they would appeal..

Transportation Secretary Heidi Alexander It approved a £2.2bn plan in September To move Gatwick’s emergency runway 12 meters to the north, allowing two-runway operation.

Anti-noise group CAG and campaigner Peter Barclay argued at a hearing in January that the plan was illegal, saying the government had not properly assessed the climate impact.

Ruling earlier, Mr Justice Mold rejected both bids, concluding the plan would not “materially affect” the government’s ability to meet net zero targets – a decision London Gatwick called “a victory for common sense”.

The Department for Transport (DFT) and the airport’s owner, Gatwick Airport Ltd, defended the case, with lawyers for the station arguing it was “indisputable”.

The scheme is expected to increase Gatwick’s capacity from around 280,000 flights a year now to 389,000 by the end of the 2030s.