Expansion of Gatwick Airport

Gatwick Airport
IATA: LGW ICAO: EGKK WMO: 03776
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Ivy Holdco Limited
Operator	Gatwick Airport Limited
Serves	London, United Kingdom
Location	Crawley, West Sussex
Hub for	British Airways
Elevation AMSL	203 ft / 62 m
Coordinates	51°08′50″N 000°11′25″W / 51.14722°N 0.19028°W / 51.14722; -0.19028Coordinates: 51°08′50″N 000°11′25″W / 51.14722°N 0.19028°W / 51.14722; -0.19028
Website	www.gatwickobviously.com
Map
LGW Location within West Sussex, England
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 08L/26R 2,565 8,415 Asphalt/concrete 08R/26L 3,316 10,879 Asphalt/concrete
Statistics (2012)
Passengers 34,235,982 Passenger change 11-12 1.7% Aircraft Movements 256,987 Movements change 11-12 1.6% Gates 115 (in terminal)
Sources: UK AIP at NATS Statistics from the UK Civil Aviation Authority

Passengers	34,235,982
Passenger change 11-12	1.7%
Aircraft Movements	256,987
Movements change 11-12	1.6%
Gates	115 (in terminal)

The expansion of Gatwick Airport has involved several proposals aimed at increasing airport capacity in south east England and relieving congestion at the main hub airport Heathrow.

Several options to expand Gatwick have been considered, including a third terminal and a second runway to the south of the existing runway. This would allow Gatwick to handle more passengers than Heathrow does today. If a second, wide-spaced (as opposed to close parallel) runway is approved, a new terminal could be sited between the two runways. This could either complement or replace the current South Terminal, depending on expected future traffic developments.

In 1979, an agreement was reached with West Sussex County Council not to build a second runway before 2019.

In its original consultation document published on 23 July 2002 the Government decided to expand Stansted and Heathrow, but not Gatwick. However, Medway Council, Kent County Council and Essex County Council sought a judicial review of this decision. The judge reviewing the lawfulness of the Government's decision ruled that excluding Gatwick from the original consultation was irrational and/or unfair. Following the judge's ruling and the Secretary of State for Transport's decision not to appeal, BAA published new consultation documents. These included an option of a possible second runway at Gatwick to the south of the existing airport boundary, leaving the villages Charlwood and Hookwood to the north of the airport intact. This led to protests about increased noise and pollution, demolition of houses and destruction of villages.

On 2 December 2009, the House of Commons Transport Select Committee published a report entitled The future of aviation. With regard to Gatwick, it calls on the Government to reconsider its decision to build a second runway at Stansted, in the light of growing evidence that the business case is unconvincing and that Gatwick is a better location.