STORY
Gatwick Airport can proceed with bringing its Northern Runway into regular use after the Court of Appeal dismissed a legal challenge to the expansion. The Government said the court had also refused permission for the campaign group involved to appeal, allowing work to continue towards the first flights from the extended runway in 2030.
The Department for Transport said the scheme could accommodate up to 100,000 additional flights and around 13 million more passengers each year. Gatwick estimates that the project will create 14,000 jobs and provide approximately £1 billion in additional annual economic benefits through the airport and its wider supply chain.
The expansion remains subject to conditions covering carbon emissions, air quality and noise. Ministers linked the decision to wider aviation investment, including £219 million intended to increase sustainable aviation fuel production and £43 million for hydrogen powered and electric flight projects. The airport currently serves more than 200 destinations.