Examination into Gatwick Expansion Begins
Planning and Environment, Local Government, Cornerstone Climate
On Wednesday 28 February 2024, the six-month Examination of the Gatwick Airport Northern Runway DCO begins in Crawley, West Sussex. The proposal seeks Development Consent under the NSIP regime for significant airport and highway works to enable Gatwick to expand its capacity from a current 46 million passengers per annum up to some 80 million passengers per annum (by 2047). The DCO is being promoted by Gatwick Airport Ltd (GAL).
Michael Bedford KC (instructed by Sharpe Pritchard) is representing some seven host local authorities and neighbouring councils, and Estelle Dehon KC (instructed by Leigh Day, leading Merrow Golden and Odette Chalaby) is representing one of the main Interested Parties, Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions (CAGNE).
The Examination will start with an exploration of GAL’s case on the need for the proposal, and over the next months will cover issues such as air quality, noise, climate change and surface transport. The Examination is due to be completed by 27 August 2024 and a decision by the Secretary of State for Transport is expected before the end of February 2025.
