Gatwick Expansion Campaigners Lodge Appeal After High Court Ruling

Campaigners opposing Gatwick Airport’s expansion have lodged an appeal after a High Court ruling cleared the way for the airport’s plans to operate two runways.

The Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign (GACC) said its chairman, Peter Barclay, has submitted the application to the Court of Appeal following the dismissal of two High Court challenges on 23 June.

Anti-noise group Cagne and Mr Barclay had argued at a hearing in January that the scheme was unlawful, claiming the government had not properly assessed its climate impact.

However, in last week’s ruling, Mr Justice Mould concluded the plans would not “materially impact” the Government’s ability to meet net zero targets.

London Gatwick described the decision as a “victory for common sense”.

The Department for Transport and Gatwick Airport Limited both defended the case, with the airport’s lawyers previously calling the challenge “unarguable”.

The privately-financed project would see the current emergency runway moved 12 metres north to allow regular use, alongside wider expansion works including enlarged terminals.

A London Gatwick spokesperson said it noted the appeal and would “comment further when appropriate”.

GACC said its appeal will focus on what it calls the “misinterpretation of government policy” and “fundamental flaws” in the airport’s economic case, warning of “disastrous impacts” including increased noise, pollution, traffic congestion and carbon emissions.

Legal representatives for Mr Barclay said the case has “far-reaching implications” for government policy and the ongoing consultation on airport expansion rules, arguing policy must be properly understood when making major infrastructure decisions.

The Department for Transport has been approached for comment.

The expansion would increase Gatwick’s capacity from around 280,000 flights a year to about 389,000 by the late 2030s.

Travel journalist Simon Calder said the scheme represents “the first meaningful airport expansion in decades”, adding it would be a “clear positive” for the economy and travellers in the South East.