How the Northern Runway can help grow the UK economy
On 21 September 2025, the Secretary of State for Transport granted consent for our Development Consent Order (DCO) to bring our Northern Runway into routine use. This decision and all other documentation relating to our application can be found on the Planning Inspectorate website.
Bringing London Gatwick's Northern Runway into routine use is one of the biggest growth opportunities for the UK today.
It will help drive economic growth, business growth and tourism growth - inject an additional £1 billion into the economy every year, and create 14,000 jobs across the region.
The £2.2 billion project is privately financed, requiring no taxpayer money - and is shovel ready. Our plans include moving the runway (currently used as a standby) 12 metres to allow London Gatwick, the UK's second busiest airport, to have a second fully functioning runway, paving the way to meet future demand for air travel.
The airport is already a major catalyst for growth, domestically and internationally connected, easily accessible, and equipped with world-class facilities.
This much needed growth plan meets the Government's test of making best use of existing infrastructure and maximising growth. Because the runway already exists, the project will all be completed with little disruption, and we will continue to be Europe's most efficient single runway airport until the project is complete.
Our Capital Investment Programme is a rolling five-year view into over £2 billion of investment in our services and facilities. The programme is consulted upon with our airline partners and GATCOM's Passenger Advisory Group (PAG), so the investments are aligned with feedback to meet passenger needs.
This £140 million extension to our mid-airfield pier (Pier 6) will provide eight new aircraft gates adjacent to the airport's runways, saving one million passengers from being bused to remote aircraft stands each year.
An innovative approach to design and construction has put the project on track to achieve BREEAM ratings of "Excellent" (Overall) and "Outstanding" (Energy and water).
Read our Capital Investment Programme to discover more of the investment projects London Gatwick is undertaking for our passengers.
Chantelle at One Resourcing has helped find jobs for hundreds of people at the airport. From security officers to cabin crew and ground support, we're at the heart of local employment today and for future generations.
We’re an active and engaged member of Gatwick Diamond Business, and are delighted to help its members thrive through providing jobs, opportunities and driving investment, as a pillar of the local economy.
We have a strong programme of community investment. We support a range of initiatives and events across Surrey, Sussex and Kent.
A strong airport supports local growth. This helps us attract new and start-up technology businesses and green industry to the area.
We inform, inspire and invest in young people and we open up the world of opportunities to everyone. We support early careers and skills.
Now that the Northern Runway has received planning permission, will London Gatwick buy my home?
Our Northern Runway plans do not need us to acquire any residential properties in order to build the Project. Therefore, there is no need for London Gatwick to buy any homes or residential properties.
I suffer from aircraft noise from London Gatwick. Will Gatwick provide any compensation or mitigation?
As part of our Northern Runway proposals, we put forward a new and improved Noise Insulation Scheme, which will open for applications shortly after we start construction works on the airfield associated with the Northern Runway.
When this happens, we will write to all eligible homeowners to let them know that they can now apply. We will prioritise the roll out of the measures for those homes in the highest noise areas, and then move on to those further away. You will still be able to apply for further assistance from London Gatwick under the new Noise Insulation Scheme even if you benefitted from our existing scheme.
Until the new scheme opens you can still apply for assistance under our existing Noise Insulation scheme if you have not already done so and are eligible. You can find details here.
I understand London Gatwick will pay for my removal costs and estate agents fees. Is that correct?
After flights begin to operate from the Northern Runway and if your home is located very close to the airport boundary and within an are known as the 66dB Leq 16 hour noise contour, you will become eligible for our Home Relocation Assistance Scheme. If you are eligible and you decide that you wish to move from your property, this scheme will assist you to do this by paying your reasonable costs for moving house (removals and legal costs), stamp duty and a 1% estate agent fee.
It will be a number of years before we finish building the infrastructure required to allow the Northern Runway to operate. In the meantime, your home may be eligible for our Noise Insulation Scheme.
Will London Gatwick provide compensation for the additional impacts caused by the Northern Runway Project?
Once the Northern Runway begins to operate, anyone who believes that the value of their home has been adversely affected by the Project can, after 12 months, apply to London Gatwick for potential compensation (what is known as a Part 1 claim).
It will be a number of years before we finish building the infrastructure required to allow the Northern Runway to operate. In the meantime, your home may be eligible for our Noise Insulation Scheme.
I have received a letter from London Gatwick recently which talks about compulsory acquisition of property. What does this mean and what do I need to do?
Following the approval of the Northern Runway Project Development Consent Order on 21st September by the Secretary of State for Transport, London Gatwick was legally required under the Planning Act (2008) to notify residents living close to the airport of this (known as a Section 134 notice).
In simple terms, letters must be sent to all residents living in properties that are close enough to the airport that they could potentially be entitled to make a claim for compensation due to the future operation of the airport, when the Northern Runway comes into operational use. The Planning Act (2008) requires London Gatwick, to send these letters now to remind these residents following approval of the Development Consent Order.
London Gatwick has no need or intention to compulsorily acquire any residential properties. Indeed, the powers conferred by the Development Consent Order do not permit London Gatwick to do so, nor would we wish to take such action. To be clear, nobody’s home needs to be acquired for the Northern Runway Project.
A form is included at Schedule 3 of the notice to allow residents to notify London Gatwick that the details on the letter are correct (or that they have changed), as this will help us to keep our records up to date. We have provided pre-paid return envelopes to make this as easy as possible.