Gatwick Airport is reminding residents and businesses that they have just one week left to respond to the twelve-week public consultation on its runway growth plans.
The plan includes a main runway – using new technology to increase capacity in the near term offering incremental growth through more efficient operations and a standby runway – potentially bringing Gatwick’s existing standby runway into use for departing flights alongside its main runway by 2020.
Stewart Wingate, Chief executive Officer, Gatwick Airport, said: “Our draft master plan outlines some low-impact and highly innovative ways of unlocking new capacity from within our existing infrastructure. This will provide the UK with much needed new capacity, improve the airport’s resilience and generate new opportunities for the South East and its economy for generations to come.”
Gatwick’s draft master plan also mentions an additional runway, but they are not actively pursuing the building of a new runway to the south of the airport because to a Gatwick spokesperson, they believe it is in the national interest to continue to safeguard this land for the future.
Gatwick’s development will help meet future aviation demand with sustainable growth and ensure strong connections between Britain and global markets, providing new opportunities for the South East and continue to bolster the local economy for future generations.
Mr Wingate said: “With only one week left I would encourage as many people as possible to take part in our ongoing consultation on our draft master plan, including anyone who wants to show their support for the airport’s exciting vision for the future.”
One month ago 75% of residents surveyed across Sussex, Surrey and Kent said that they supported Gatwick’s growth plans, with just 14% opposing.
The public consultation on the draft master plan runs until 5pm on 10 January 2019.
