Second runway at Gatwick would create 19,000 new jobs - says airport

It says that a second runway could be built by 2025 at a cost of £5-9bn, which would include contributions to local infrastructure improvements, create up to 19,000 new jobs, and see its capacity rise from 34.2 million passengers a year to up to 87 million by the 2040s.

The airport argues that its expansion provides the most affordable, sustainable, and deliverable solution for London and the UK.

Stewart Wingate, Gatwick Airport’s chief executive, said: “London is the best connected city in the world today because the UK’s aviation industry is one of the most competitive and innovative.

“Our proposal to the Airports Commission builds on this foundation and would ensure that the UK has an airports policy which offers the additional capacity that Britain needs, improves the resilience of the airports system and, above all, can be delivered.

“Our evidence shows clearly that an additional runway at Gatwick would best serve the needs of all passengers, and give certainty to airlines, communities and businesses. It would deliver the connectivity the UK needs with lower environmental impacts, whilst spreading the economic benefits.

“A two-runway Gatwick, as part of a constellation of three major airports surrounding London, will also provide flexibility in an industry where the only constant is change.”

The Davies Commission into airport capacity in the South East will publish a shortlist of options in late 2013, and will make a final recommendation in 2015 after the next General Election.

Last week West Sussex County Council approved a motion supporting ‘in principle’ a second runway at Gatwick.

Louise Goldsmith, leader of WSCC, said: “The county council has voted to support expansion of Gatwick, in principle, because of the huge potential economic benefits for West Sussex.

“However, we want to work with Gatwick, residents and partners to ensure that any development will take into account the environmental concerns that people rightly have, and include all of the essential infrastructure that a development of this scale would require. We are pleased that Gatwick has agreed to work with us on these issues.”