Editing Gatwick Airport (section)

==Expansion proposals==
{{Main|Expansion of Gatwick Airport}}
Gatwick has been included in many reviews of airport capacity in southeastern England. Expansion options have included a third terminal and a second runway; although an agreement not to build a second runway was made in 1979 with [[West Sussex County Council]], that agreement expired by its terms after 40 years.<ref name="runway_moratorium"/><ref name="1979_expansion_plans"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gatwickairport.com/PublicationFiles/business_and_community/all_public_publications/transforming_gatwick/1979_Runway_Agreement_Actual_Copy.pdf |title=1979 Gatwick Airport runway agreement |publisher=Gatwick Airport |access-date=12 February 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222015414/http://www.gatwickairport.com/PublicationFiles/business_and_community/all_public_publications/transforming_gatwick/1979_Runway_Agreement_Actual_Copy.pdf |archive-date=22 February 2014 }}</ref> Expanded operations would allow Gatwick to handle more passengers than Heathrow does today, with a new terminal between two wide-spaced runways. This would complement or replace the South Terminal, depending on expected future traffic.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/gatwick-heathrow-airport-expansion-second-third-runway-uk-flights-a8585051.html |title=Could Gatwick Launch Extra Runway Before Heathrow In The Airport Expansion Race? |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |first=Simon |last=Calder |date=18 October 2018 |access-date=15 June 2021 |archive-date=5 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505014101/https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/gatwick-heathrow-airport-expansion-second-third-runway-uk-flights-a8585051.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Airport management's proposal for a second runway (south of the existing runway and airport boundary) was unveiled in July 2013. This was shortlisted for further consideration by the [[Airports Commission]] in December 2013, and the commission's final report was published in July 2015.<ref name="LGW_2nd_runway_proposals">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-23410288 |title=Gatwick Airport announces second runway plan |work=BBC News |date=23 July 2013 |access-date=23 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130725074103/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-23410288 |archive-date=25 July 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.crawleynews.co.uk/Airports-Commission-report-Gatwick-Heathrow/story-20330773-detail/story.html |title=Airports Commission report: Gatwick & Heathrow on shortlist for expansion |newspaper=[[The Crawley News]] |date=17 December 2013 |access-date=18 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219074555/http://www.crawleynews.co.uk/Airports-Commission-report-Gatwick-Heathrow/story-20330773-detail/story.html |archive-date=19 December 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> Another proposal would extend the North Terminal south, with a passenger bridge in the area currently occupied by aircraft stands without [[jet bridge]]s.<ref name="LGW_Interim_Master_Plan_2006">{{cite web |url=http://www.baa.com/assets/B2CPortal/Static%20Files/lgw_interim_masterplan.pdf |title=interim master plan (Gatwick Interim Master Plan – October&nbsp;2006) |date=15 August 2010 |access-date=15 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728043101/http://www.baa.com/assets/B2CPortal/Static%20Files/lgw_interim_masterplan.pdf |archive-date=28 July 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> Gatwick's draft master plan (released for consultation on 13 October 2011) dropped the passenger-bridge plan in favour of a mid-field satellite (next to the control tower) linking to the North Terminal as part of an expanded 2030 single-runway, two-terminal airport.<ref>''Draft Gatwick Master Plan (A single runway airport – 2030: 10.2.14 Aprons and piers and Figure A.12, p. 93 and Appendix A – Drawings''), Gatwick Airport, West Sussex, 13 October 2011.</ref>

In late 2011, the [[Department for Transport]] (DfT) also began a feasibility study for a high-speed rail link between Gatwick and Heathrow as part of a plan combining the airports into a "collective" or "virtual hub", [[Heathwick]]. The scheme envisaged a high-speed rail route parallel to the [[M25 motorway|M25]], covering {{convert|35|mi}} in 15 minutes. Trains would have reached speeds of {{convert|180|mph|kph|abbr=on}}, and passengers would have passed through immigration (or check-in) only once. Reactions to this proposal were largely negative.<ref>''Financial Times (National News – Airports rail link fails to carry industry''), UK Edition, London, 8/9 October 2011</ref> Another proposal for a high-speed railway link to Heathrow, [[HS4Air]], as part of a scheme to link the [[High Speed 1]] and [[High Speed 2]] railway lines and connect regional cities in Britain to the [[Channel Tunnel]], was rejected in 2018.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Smale |first1=Katherine |title=HS4Air plan to link Heathrow and Gatwick rejected |url=https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/exclusive-hs4air-plan-to-link-heathrow-and-gatwick-rejected/10038092.article |access-date=11 December 2018 |magazine=New Civil Engineer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181211143812/https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/exclusive-hs4air-plan-to-link-heathrow-and-gatwick-rejected/10038092.article |archive-date=11 December 2018 |language=en|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 1 July 2015, the Airports Commission submitted its final report, recommending the expansion of Heathrow Airport as opposed to Gatwick. Whilst the commission recognised Gatwick's benefits and relatively fewer environmental consequences than Heathrow, they felt the economic benefits of Gatwick vs. Heathrow were not as great, nor as broad-ranging.<ref>{{cite news| title=Airport expansion: What happens next?| work=BBC News| date=1 July 2015| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19570653| access-date = 10 September 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150909102344/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19570653| archive-date=9 September 2015| url-status=live}}</ref> Gatwick disputed the findings.<ref>{{cite press release| title=Airports Commission's findings simply don't add up| url=http://mediacentre.gatwickairport.com/press-releases/2015/15-08-17-airports-commission-findings-simply-do-not-add-up.aspx| publisher=Gatwick Airport| access-date=10 September 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906044559/http://www.mediacentre.gatwickairport.com/press-releases/2015/15-08-17-airports-commission-findings-simply-do-not-add-up.aspx| archive-date=6 September 2015| url-status=live}}</ref>

On 9 September 2021, GAL opened its first public consultation to carry out major works at the runway to increase its capacity from 64 million passengers a year to 75 million passengers a year by moving the northern "emergency" runway to the north to meet international standards for dual runway use.<ref>{{cite web| title=Digital Exhibition - Gatwick Airport Virtual Exhibition| url=https://www.3dwtech.co.uk/dashboard/gatwick/gatwick-airport/exhibition/| access-date=16 September 2021| website=3DW| archive-date=16 September 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916224438/https://www.3dwtech.co.uk/dashboard/gatwick/gatwick-airport/exhibition/| url-status=live}}</ref> Airport management plans to use this runway only for take-offs by all but the largest aircraft. It hoped to receive approval in 2024, with the main works taking 4 years to complete, and 13 years to be fully complete.<ref>{{cite web| title=Proposed Northern Runway Works for Gatwick Airport expansion| website=Sussex Transport Projects| date=9 September 2021| url=https://sussex-transport.net/index.php/2021/09/09/proposed-northern-runway-works-for-gatwick-airport-expansion/| access-date=16 September 2021| archive-date=16 September 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916224436/https://sussex-transport.net/index.php/2021/09/09/proposed-northern-runway-works-for-gatwick-airport-expansion/| url-status=live}}</ref> Works would also involve a new pier, hotels, terminal expansion and highway improvements including flyovers of the M23 Spur / A23 Airport Way at the terminal roundabouts.<ref>{{cite web| title=Gatwick Airport's Highway Improvements| website=Sussex Transport Projects| date=10 September 2021| url=https://sussex-transport.net/index.php/2021/09/10/gatwick-airports-highway-improvements/| access-date=16 September 2021| archive-date=16 September 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916224436/https://sussex-transport.net/index.php/2021/09/10/gatwick-airports-highway-improvements/| url-status=live}}</ref> Planning permission for the runway realignment was formally requested in July 2023.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kaminski-Morrow |first1=David |title=London Gatwick proposes realignment of northern runway for routine operations |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/air-transport/london-gatwick-proposes-realignment-of-northern-runway-for-routine-operations/154024.article |work=Flight Global |date=6 July 2023 |access-date=7 July 2023 |archive-date=6 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230706190038/https://www.flightglobal.com/air-transport/london-gatwick-proposes-realignment-of-northern-runway-for-routine-operations/154024.article |url-status=live }}</ref> The plan would cost around £2.2 billion, financed by private investors rather than government backing, and would be operational within around five years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Northern Runway Plans {{!}} London Gatwick Airport |url=https://www.gatwickairport.com/company/future-plans/northern-runway.html |access-date=27 February 2025 |website=www.gatwickairport.com}}</ref>

On 27 February 2025, Transport Secretary [[Heidi Alexander]] announced that she was "minded to approve" the proposals, subject to noise mitigation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 February 2025 |title=Gatwick Airport: Second runway backed by government |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqjdz9q170yo |access-date=27 February 2025 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> A period of additional consultation was announced, pending a final decision in October 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=£2.2bn Gatwick second runway decision delayed |url=https://www.constructionenquirer.com/2025/02/27/2-2bn-gatwick-second-runway-decision-delayed/ |access-date=27 February 2025 |website=Construction Enquirer |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Ultimately, Gatwick’s expansion is projected to create approximately 14,000 new jobs and inject £1bn annually into the regional economy. Weighing up whether such an economic boost outweighs the environmental impact could be swayed by the ability of Gatwick to successfully implement its high-tech upgrades.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gatwick spreads its wings but is take-off a stretch too far? |url=https://buildindigital.com/gatwick-spreads-its-wings-but-is-take-off-a-stretch-too-far/ |access-date=10 March 2025 |website=Build in Digtal |date=10 March 2025 |language=en-GB}}</ref>