Decision details

Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL) has revised the non-statutory Gatwick Airport Master Plan, setting out its vision about how the airport can meet growing demand for air travel and deliver global connections into the early 2030s.  The draft of the new Master Plan was published for comment on 18 October 2018 for 12 weeks until 10 January 2019. 

The new Master Plan, which will replace the current 2012 Master Plan, explains how Gatwick would develop and grow, balancing economic growth and environmental impact.  It sets out the plan for the next five years together with three growth scenarios looking 5-15 years ahead to 2032.  The scenarios, which could be taken forward separately or in combination, are: increase capacity using the existing main runway; bring the existing standby (or emergency) runway into routine use alongside the main runway; and continue to safeguard land for an additional runway to the south (while not actively pursuing one at this stage).

GAL considers that the proposals are in line with the Government’s policy for making best use of existing runways and that it will deliver highly-productive, incremental new capacity with minimal environmental impact, to complement expansion schemes at other airports across the South East (including a third runway at Heathrow).

The draft Master Plan also contains environmental information as well as information on economic and employment strategies and community engagement strategies.  A number of questions have been posed by GAL as part of the consultation.

The Cabinet Member for Highways and Infrastructure has approved the County Council’s response to the consultation on the Gatwick Airport draft Master Plan 2018 (attached as Appendix B to the report).

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