Gatwick expansion campaigners lose High Court challenges but vow to appeal

Campaigners opposing Gatwick Airport expansion lost two High Court challenges against the government on Thursday but said they would consider an appeal. Mr Justice Mould dismissed both bids after a hearing in January, ruling the scheme would not “materially impact” the government’s ability to meet net zero targets. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander approved the £2.2bn plan in September to move the emergency runway 12 metres north, allowing a two-runway operation. The anti-noise group Cagne and campaigner Peter Barclay had argued the government failed to properly assess climate impact. London Gatwick called the ruling a “victory for common sense”. The Department for Transport and Gatwick Airport Limited had defended the challenge, with lawyers for the site claiming it was “unarguable”. The expansion is expected to increase Gatwick’s capacity from about 280,000 flights a year currently to 389,000 by the late 2030s. Travel journalist Simon Calder called it “the first meaningful airport expansion in decades”. He added: “Certainly for the economy of the Gatwick area, and for travellers in south east England, this is nothing but an overwhelming positive.” In a 100-page judgment, the judge also rejected an argument against the need for expansion given Heathrow’s proximity. He said the DfT considered Gatwick primarily a leisure airport with low-cost carriers and growing passenger numbers. Alexander “considered both the need for and the socio-economic effects of the proposed development to be important”, the judge said. “Her conclusions are rational and supported by proper, adequate and intelligible reasons.” After the ruling, Cagne said it would not accept the judgment “as the final word” and its legal team would consider an appeal. It added it would continue to “stand up for the communities who will be forced to live with the consequences of this expansion”. Campaigners said communities across Kent, Surrey and Sussex helped fund the legal action due to “grave and legitimate” concerns over infrastructure, sewerage, noise, air quality and emissions. Sally Pavey, from Cagne, previously called the plans “not making best use of existing runways”.