Gatwick Airport to Open Second Runway After Legal Challenge Fails, Expanding Capacity
Gatwick Airport is set to develop its second runway following the dismissal of a legal challenge by local campaign groups. The court of appeal upheld a previous high court ruling allowing the £2.2 billion project to proceed. Approved by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, the expansion will enable approximately 100,000 more flights annually. Gatwick's chief executive, Pierre-Hugues Schmit, expressed satisfaction with the ruling, marking the end of an eight-year planning and legal process. The project involves repositioning the emergency runway for routine use by short-haul passenger aircraft.