Gatwick Airport has been given the go-ahead by government for its £2.2bn plans for a second runway.

The Gatwick Airport Northern Runway application has been granted development consent by transport secretary Heidi Alexander.

Currently a backup, plans will see the northern runway at Gatwick made operational as a second permanent runway. The project represents a £2.2bn shovel-ready privately financed investment which could be operational by the end of the decade.  

The development will include amendments to taxiways, terminal extensions and ancillary facilities, highways and rivers as well as temporary construction works, mitigation works and other associated development. The project which will create 14,000 jobs and generate £1bn a year in economic benefits. 

The application was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration by Gatwick Airport on 6 July 2023 and accepted for examination on 3 August 2023. 

Earlier this year in February Heidi Alexander said she was “minded to approve” plans for a second runway to London Gatwick Airport.

VINCI Airports is the majority shareholder of Gatwick, with the rest of its shares  owned by a group of investors and have been managed by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) since 2009.

Stewart Wingate, VINCI Airports managing director for the UK, said: “After a lengthy and rigorous planning process, we welcome the government's approval of plans to bring our Northern Runway into routine use, ahead of the expected deadline. 

“This is another important gateway in the planning process for this £2.2bn investment, which is fully funded by our shareholders and will unlock significant growth, tourism and trade benefits for London Gatwick and the UK and create thousands of jobs. 

“As we’ve said previously, it is essential that any planning conditions enable us to realise the full benefits of the project and do not impose unnecessary constraints that make it uneconomic to invest in.  

“We now need to carefully examine the details of the planning consent. Once we have done that, we will be able to comment further.” 

Industry has also welcomed the news with the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) saying the decision shows a commitment to delivering major projects at scale and pace.

Ben Brittain, director of public affairs at ACE, said: “This decision is not just about concrete, steel and expanding operational capacity but about driving economic growth.

“Our members also know how infrastructure ambitions are too often frustrated by outdated planning regulation. By unlocking Gatwick’s second runway, the government has shown that these barriers can be overcome when there is political will. This project will not only boost jobs and connectivity, but it also signals a wider commitment to getting Britain building again.

“Long-term investment in infrastructure is not an optional extra, but central to national prosperity. Unlocking Gatwick proves Britain can cut through barriers and deliver the infrastructure our economy needs.”