Manor Royal businesses put their support behind a second Gatwick runway

A group representing businesses in Manor Royal says it supports a second runway at Gatwick Airport in principle.
Gatwick AirportGatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport

The proposals for expansion, which the airport has submitted to the Airports Commission, show some of the County Oak end of Manor Royal, City Place and Lowfield Heath would be lost if a second runway was built.

The Manor Royal Business District (MRBD) said it would like to see further detail about how businesses based there would be helped, but it currently believes it would bring overall benefit to the area.

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A spokesman said: “The growth of Manor Royal has gone hand in hand with that of Gatwick Airport since the 1950s. Overtime Manor Royal has achieved a greater degree of independence and is somewhat less reliant on Gatwick. Nonetheless the relationship remains strong and the influence of travel, transport and aviation is very much still evident, directly and indirectly.

“It is the position of MRBD to support proposals for a second runway at Gatwick Airport to be put forward for further consideration as a solution, or part of the solution, to the long term problems of aviation capacity impacting on the future competitiveness of the local, regional and UK economies.

“MRBD recognises that more detailed analysis is still required and that there are a number of issues still to be resolved. That is to be expected at this stage. The answers can only be arrived at by Gatwick’s continued involvement in the process.

“It is the opinion of MRBD that the case for an expanded Gatwick Airport has been sufficiently well made to justify further consideration and represents a genuine, deliverable option for increasing airport capacity to meet the forecasted demand for air travel and robust global connectivity.

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“In making this statement MRBD acknowledges that reaching a consensus on expanding Gatwick, or anywhere, will be difficult. MRBD, therefore, encourages full engagement in this debate particularly by individual Manor Royal businesses and to not be complacent about it.”

The Commission is due to release a shortlist of favoured sites for expansion later this month. If Gatwick is included, the airport will carry out further studies on the impact of a second runway, including improvements to infrastructure and the cost to the environment.

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