Court Dismisses Challenge to Block Gatwick's Second Runway

Plans to bring Gatwick Airport's second runway into regular use have cleared another legal hurdle after judges dismissed an attempt by campaigners to overturn government approval for the project.

Campaign group Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions (Cagne) and campaigner Peter Barclay challenged the Department for Transport over last year's decision to approve the £2.2 billion expansion. They argued ministers had failed to properly assess the scheme's impact on carbon emissions and climate change.

The expansion, approved by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander in September, involves repositioning Gatwick's existing emergency runway by 12 metres. The change will allow both runways to operate simultaneously, increasing capacity by around 100,000 flights a year and enabling the airport to accommodate an additional 13 million passengers annually.

Welcoming the ruling, Ms Alexander described it as a significant step forward for the airport and surrounding communities.

"This is a major milestone for Gatwick," she said. "Expansion will unlock investment, create thousands of new jobs, provide greater choice for holidaymakers and strengthen the UK's global connections."

Cagne said it was "deeply disappointing" that the challenge had failed, arguing the Government was not taking a balanced approach to airport expansion.

In a 29-page judgment, Lord Justice Holgate and Lord Justice Dove refused permission for Cagne to pursue a full appeal. The judges concluded that none of the grounds put forward had a realistic chance of succeeding, adding that there were no compelling reasons for the appeal to proceed.

The decision follows an earlier High Court ruling in favour of the Government. Mr Justice Mould previously found it was neither illogical nor inconsistent for the Transport Secretary to conclude that the project should not be rejected on the grounds that it would materially affect the Government's ability to meet its carbon reduction targets.

The outcome is another boost for the Government's wider economic agenda, with airport expansion viewed as a key part of its plans to encourage investment, improve connectivity and support long-term growth.

Broadgate Legal