Gatwick Airport bosses expect a government decision on their application to expand by bringing the airport’s back-up northern runway into regular use by the end of February.
Stewart Wingate, Gatwick chief executive, told the Airports UK conference this month: “One of our biggest asks is to be allowed to grow. If we get the go-ahead on use of our northern runway we could be using it by the end of the decade.”
He said Gatwick has plans to “develop taxiways, build out our terminal facilities, put in place a new pier and develop lounges and passenger facilities”.
Wingate insisted: “We need a government decision. If we get it, we have investors who will back us with £2 billion in funds.”
He pointed out: “We’ve already invested £200 million in improving services and there is a £300 million investment in Gatwick’s rail station, of which Gatwick put in £50 million.”
The northern runway proposal was developed after Gatwick failed in a bid to gain permission to construct a new second runway.
The plan is awaiting development consent after planning inspectors submitted a report to the government in November, with the transport secretary required to make a decision within three months.
Wingate explained: “It’s a fast-track process. The planning inspectorate have examined the proposals. Certain statutory bodies have removed their objections [and] we’ve agreed many aspects with local authorities, so there is an awful lot of common ground in the event the government backs us.”
He said: “We expect a decision on or before February 27 next year.”
Gatwick describes the project as a £2.2 billion “shovel-ready, privately financed investment”. However, local residents and environmental groups oppose expansion of the airport.
Financial Times political editor George Parker told the conference that airport expansion “will be a big test” for the Labour government and its pledge to grow the economy.
He said: “Is the government prepared to see airports expand? It’s an obvious growth lever.”
But he noted minister for energy security and net zero Ed Miliband was likely to be “against” expansion alongside environmental groups and said: “Miliband is not in Starmer’s inner circle, but he has been in government before and has been one the most effective ministers so far.”
Business groups including the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry wrote to new transport secretary Heidi Alexander in support of the application this month.