Article Credit BBC.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has approved plans for a second runway at London Gatwick Airport, as the government looks for economic growth opportunities.

The £2.2bn privately-financed project involves in effect moving the current Northern Runway 12 metres to bring it into regular use, as well as other developments, including extending the size of terminals.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the plans would create “thousands of jobs and billions in investment”, but the project has long faced opposition and the Green Party described it as “disaster”.

Gatwick currently handles about 280,000 flights a year. It says the plan would enable that number to rise to around 389,000 by the late 2030s.

Reeves said the second Gatwick runway was part of the government’s plan to “get Britain building again”.

A government source has described the plans as a “no-brainer for growth,” adding that “it is possible that planes could be taking off from a new full runway at Gatwick before the next general election”, which would mean by 2029.

London Gatwick, in West Sussex, is currently Europe’s busiest single-runway airport with more than 40 million passengers using it every year.

The plans approved by Ms Alexander would include adding 40,000 more flights before the second runway opens, and 70,000 more – almost 190 a day – once it is fully up and running.

The airport says that passenger numbers could rise to up to 80 million.

Currently, the Northern Runway is currently only used for taxiing or as a back up.

The second runway would be used for short haul flights, with capacity also freed up for more long-haul services from the main runway.

The decision to approve the expansion plan had been expected in February, but at the time, the transport secretary only said she was “minded to grant consent” for the Northern Runway planning application.

It emerged planning inspectors had expressed concerns over the effect the proposals would have on several aspects on the area surrounding the airport, including traffic and noise.

In April, Gatwick Airport agreed to stricter noise controls, an enhanced insulation scheme for nearby residents, and having 54% of air passengers using public transport before the Northern Runway opened.

To achieve this target, the airport said, third parties – including the Department for Transport – would need to “support delivery of the necessary conditions and improvements required to meet this target,” giving the example of reinstating the full Gatwick Express rail service.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the Gatwick Express ran a service of four trains per hour non-stop between the airport and London Victoria, this was reduced to two trains per hour from 2022.

The new plans stipulate that residents affected by more noise can ask Gatwick to cover the costs for triple-glazed windows at their property.

New conditions also include the airport paying stamp duty and some moving costs for the most affected homeowners if they choose to sell up.