High court dismisses legal challenges to Gatwick expansion plans
Campaigners opposing the expansion of Gatwick Airport have lost two High Court challenges against the government’s approval of the scheme, allowing plans for the airport’s northern runway project to continue moving forward, subject to any further appeal process.
image: Gatwick Airport
The judgment follows legal action brought by campaigner Peter Barclay and campaign group Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions (CAGNE), which argued that the government had not properly assessed the climate impacts of the expansion and that the decision to approve the project was unlawful.
The £2.2bn proposal involves repositioning Gatwick’s existing northern standby runway to allow routine dual-runway operations. The project is expected to increase annual passenger capacity and enable around 100,000 additional flights a year, with the airport targeting operational use before the end of the decade.
In dismissing the claims, Mr Justice Mould concluded that the Transport Secretary’s decision-making process had been supported by sufficient reasoning. The judgment said that while the project would have adverse effects in relation to climate objectives, these had been considered and weighed as part of the wider assessment rather than treated as determinative factors.
The Department for Transport welcomed the ruling, while the government has continued to argue that airport expansion can be pursued alongside wider net-zero objectives, citing the anticipated growth of measures including sustainable aviation fuels and other emissions reduction technologies.
Campaign groups said they were disappointed by the outcome and indicated they were considering potential next steps, including the possibility of an appeal. CAGNE said it remained concerned about issues including noise, local infrastructure pressures, air quality and emissions impacts associated with increased airport activity.
The ruling comes amid wider debate over airport capacity and aviation growth in the UK, with other expansion projects, including proposals at Heathrow and Luton, also facing scrutiny over environmental impacts and consistency with longer-term climate commitments.
A London Gatwick spokesperson said, “We are pleased with today’s High Court ruling to uphold the Government’s careful decision to grant planning approval for our Northern Runway Project. Our exciting plans will deliver significant business, tourism and trade benefits for the UK, including 14,000 new jobs and a £1bn boost to the economy every year. This is a victory for common sense. We now look forward to turning our plans into reality and will announce further details in due course.”