Gatwick airport’s £2.2bn second runway plan has been given the go-ahead by transport secretary Heidi Alexander.
The West Sussex airport will move its emergency runway 12 metres north, enabling it to be used for around 100,000 more flights a year.
Ms Alexander backed the scheme as a “no-brainer” for economic growth, a government source said, suggesting that flights could take off from the new full runway before 2029.
Gatwick says its plan will generate £1bn per year in economic benefits, and generate an additional 14,000 jobs.
The privately financed plan would allow the runway to be used for departures by narrow-bodied planes such as Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s. It also involves remodelling and replacing existing taxiways – which connect runways to terminals, hangars and other facilities – along with extending both terminals and installing new aircraft gates.
Gatwick is the second-busiest airport in the UK and the busiest single-runway airport in Europe. Last year saw more than 40 million passengers pass through the hub.
Local campaigners opposed to the airport’s expansion have expressed concerns over the impact on surface transport, noise, housing provision and wastewater treatment.
Green party leader Zack Polanski said: “Aviation expansion is a disaster for the climate crisis. Anyone who’s been paying any attention to this shambles of a Labour government knows they don’t care about people in poverty, don’t care about nature, nor for the planet. Just big business and their own interests.”
A government source said the move would help ease capacity constraints that are currently holding back business, trade and tourism.
“This government has taken unprecedented steps to get this done, navigating a needlessly complex planning system, which our reforms will simplify in future. It is possible that planes could be taking off from a new full runway at Gatwick before the next general election.
“Any airport expansion must be delivered in line with our legally binding climate change commitments and meet strict environmental requirements,” they said.
CAGNE, an umbrella aviation community and environment group for Sussex, Surrey and Kent, said it stands ready to serve a judicial review funded by residents and environmental bodies.
The group said: “We know this government cares little for the environmental impact aviation is having on our planet and Gatwick’s neighbours, but not to demand that Gatwick pays for the infrastructure, the onsite wastewater treatment plant, and noise impact is unlawful in our book.”
The news comes as Heathrow continues to push for a third runway to be built within a decade, a project the airport says would cost £21bn. The new 3,500-metre runway would be opened to the northwest of its existing location.
Campaigners have criticised Labour for backing the plan, saying it is at odds with the party’s ambition to cut climate emissions. Heathrow believes it is possible to meet the government’s ambition of securing planning consent by 2029 and the new runway being operational within a decade.
What does a second runway at Gatwick mean for passengers, and when will it be ready?
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