Britain’s government has approved plans for a £2.2 billion ($2.96 billion) second runway at London Gatwick Airport, marking a major expansion of the country’s second-busiest aviation hub.

The decision, announced on Sunday, follows Transport Minister Heidi Alexander’s earlier signal in February that she was “minded to approve” the proposal. The project will convert Gatwick’s existing backup northern runway into full-time use, with the aim of handling millions of additional passengers in the 2030s.

A Department for Transport spokesperson confirmed that after extensive review, Alexander has now formally approved the application. “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,” said Steven Wingate, managing director of VINCI Airports, which owns a 50.01% stake in Gatwick.

The expansion will involve moving the northern runway 12 metres to meet international safety standards, allowing it to operate alongside the main runway. Gatwick expects the project to boost trade, tourism, and employment, with the potential creation of 14,000 jobs by the end of the decade.

Wingate noted that the investment is fully funded by shareholders but stressed that planning conditions must remain practical: “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.”

Despite government backing, the expansion faces opposition from local communities and environmental groups, who are expected to challenge the decision legally. Officials have argued that advances in sustainable aviation fuel mean airport enlargements can proceed without undermining Britain’s net-zero targets.

The move comes as the government also supports a new runway at Heathrow, Gatwick’s larger rival, underscoring its strategy to expand capacity at the nation’s leading airports.

Melissa Enoch

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