Time is running out for you to share your views on this Gatwick Airport consultation
Gatwick Airport is today commencing consultation on proposals to bring the existing Northern Runway into routine use alongside our Main Runway.
By the end of the next decade, we will need more capacity to maintain efficient operations, improve resilience and meet passenger demand. Gatwick has historically been one of the world’s busiest single runway airports; In 2019, we had seen a decade of growth to more than 46 million passengers, supporting over 135,000 jobs nationally, and contributing £8.3 billion to the UK economy every year.
Our proposals are largely within the current airport boundary and are sustainable, maximising use of existing infrastructure. Our proposals are forward looking and would bring significant benefits, including new jobs and an economic boost to our region. We will grow in a way that supports the Government in achieving its commitment to net zero emissions by 2050. And we will provide more certainty for residents around noise.
It is anticipated that by 2038 these proposals could increase Gatwick’s passenger capacity to approximately 75.6 million passengers per annum (mppa), compared to approximately 62.4 mppa which is where we would otherwise expect to be without the Northern Runway Project by 2038.
Our consultation runs over the next 12 weeks until 1st December. We are embarking on a comprehensive programme of engagement so that everyone – resident, community group, business, elected representative – has a chance to tell us what they think of our plans. Over 100,000 properties in our inner consultation zone will today be receiving a newsletter from us, with a summary of our proposals and the benefits that could accrue, as well as full details of how, when and where to engage with us.
To ensure certainty in what remain challenging times, much of our engagement will be online and digital while 18 deposit points across the region will ensure that hard copies of all consultation documents are also available. Our Mobile Project Office (MPO) will be out on the road distributing materials to local communities.
To learn more, including the locations for deposit points and the MPOs, please visit our website Northern Runway and our Future Plans | Gatwick Airport LGW. There you will be able to view our comprehensive virtual exhibition, read all the key consultation documents and complete a questionnaire. It is also where people can book a 20-minute ‘Call the Expert’ telephone slot to discuss their particular queries with the project team.
We are also planning to host a number of virtual briefings (via Zoom) for stakeholder groups at which members of the project team will make a short presentation on a topic of specific interest to your group, to be followed by a Q&A discussion. It would be an opportunity for you to learn more about our plans, thereby helping to inform your response, and for us to better understand your concerns or queries. If this would be of interest, then this can be booked at info@gatwickfutureplans.com
We very much welcome your views and encourage you to respond by 11.59pm on 1st December.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with the team by emailing info@gatwickfutureplans.com
Yours sincerely,
Stewart Wingate
Chief Executive Officer
Photo: The County Care Group on a visit to Airport.