Work on Gatwick Airport’s second runway will soon begin. It comes as the Court of Appeal rejected campaigners’ appeal against the decision to expand the UK’s second biggest airport.
Airport leaders claim the Northern Runway project will deliver significant business, tourism and trade benefits for the UK, including 14,000 new jobs and a £1 billion boost to the economy every year.
Plans for Gatwick Airport’s second runway were initially approved by government ministers last year.
They include moving the northern runway (currently used as a standby) 12 metres. This would allow the UK’s second busiest airport to have a second fully functioning runway.
But two local campaign groups took the decision to the Court of Appeal, claiming the climate impact was not properly assessed.
This week (4 August, 2026) the Court of Appeal dismissed the case giving Gatwick the green light to start work.
Gatwick reaction
Pierre-Hugues Schmit, Chief Executive of London Gatwick, said: “The Court of Appeal decision to comprehensively reject the legal challenges brought by the two campaign groups opposing London Gatwick’s Northern Runway Project, confirms, yet again, that the September 2025 decision by the Secretary of State for Transport to approve the Northern Runway Project was taken properly and lawfully.
“We are also very pleased that this ruling, from senior Court of Appeal Judges, brings to an end an eight-year planning and legal process which has carefully tested and scrutinised every aspect of our expansion plans on multiple occasions.
“This final ruling means that we can now press on with the important job of bringing this exciting project to life and move forward into the design and delivery phase.
“We would like to thank everyone who has supported our planning application through the various stages and will announce further details in due course.”
About the Gatwick Airport second runway plans
London Gatwick says bringing the Northern Runway into routine use is “one of the biggest growth opportunities for the UK today”.
The £2.2 billion project is privately financed and could serve up to 80 million passengers a year. And those at the airport claim it will drive growth. They claim it will inject an additional £1 billion into the UK economy every year, creating 14,000 jobs.
It also includes a comprehensive education, skills and business strategy. This will bring maximum benefits to local people and the Gatwick region.
Plans for bringing the northern runway into use were first consulted on in 2021.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander announced in February 2025 she was “minded to grant” the proposal, providing key considerations were met.
