West Sussex County Council and Mole Valley District Council have responded to Gatwick Airport’s Final Master Plan which was published on Thursday. 

In separate statements, both Councils say they recognise the importance of the airport to the local economy but want to ensure that the environmental impacts of airport growth are satisfactorily addressed. Both also say they will scrutinise Gatwick Airport Limited’s plans to ensure the benefits of airport growth for local residents are realised, and that any negative impacts are monitored, mitigated and managed. 

Gatwick’s Final Master Plan sets out how the airport could develop to meet demand in the most sustainable way over the next 15 years. It includes using technology to build capacity and resilience on the main runway; bringing the existing standby runway into routine use for departures only alongside the main runway by the mid 2020s; and recommending planning policy continues to safeguard land for an additional runway. 

The airport will now prepare a planning application to bring the standby runway into routine use; this will include a further consultation.