London Gatwick second runway plans set to go ahead: Timeline of £2.2 billion Northern Runway project after legal challenges are dismissed

The £2.2 billion privately-financed project is expected to create around 14,000 new jobs and inject £1 billion into the region's economy every year. The plan would be one of the largest capital investment projects in the region in decades and it would help the airport meet future passenger demand by serving around 75 million passengers a year by the late 2030s.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander approved Gatwick's £2.2bn Northern Runway plans to bring the emergency runway into routine use in September.

But Campaigner Peter Barclay and Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions (CAGNE) took legal action against the Department for Transport (DfT), telling a January hearing it was unlawful as the Government did not properly assess the climate impacts of the expansion.

However, the High Court dismissed those challenges. Both groups are considering an appeal.

Here is the timeline of when the first consultation started for the £2.2 billion project and what has happened:

August 25, 2021: Gatwick Airport announced the launch of it's public consultation on the Northern Runway plans. The plans will see the Northern Runway brought into more routine use and the scheme is low impact way of unlocking new capacity by using existing runway infrastructure, create 18,000 jobs and see an additional £1.5bn GVA generated for the local area and region.

September 9, 2021: Gatwick announced the start of its public consultation on plans to bring its existing Northern Runway into routine use alongside its Main Runway. The proposed plans would allow the airport’s Northern Runway to be brought into routine use, for departing aircraft, by repositioning its centre line further north by 12 metres. Here is everything you needed to know about the plans at that point.

October 29, 2021: Some West Sussex councillors have appealed to colleagues to ‘get off the fence’ and stop ‘sitting on their hands’ when it comes to the possibility of expansion at Gatwick Airport. During a meeting of the full council, members debated a notice of motion calling for ‘evidence and assurance’ from the airport about how it would lessen the impact of opening its emergency runway for full-time use.

December 7, 2023: Since submitting its Northern Runway plans to the Planning Inspectorate, London Gatwick refined its proposal and identified three discrete changes to reduce its environmental impact even further, while also providing additional design flexibility. Before submitting the changes to the Planning Inspectorate, the airport opened a consultation so that the public, landowners and other stakeholders can give their views on the proposed changes.

December 13, 2023: The latest consultation, with the three discrete changes is launched. The consultation will closed on January 21, 2024.

February 2024: The six-month examination process by the Planning Inspectorate started at the Sandman Hotel in Crawley.

March 11, 2024: Campaign groups including CAGNE and Extinction Rebellion held a protest outside a Crawley hotel to protest London Gatwick’s plans to bring the Norther Runway into more routine use. The groups were outside the Sandman Hotel on as the examination process by the Planning Inspectorate started on the airport’s £2.2 billion planning application.

December 9, 2024: The Government was urged by 174 groups representing at least 104,875 businesses to support London Gatwick’s Northern Runway plans. London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and economic partnership Gatwick Diamond Initiative separately wrote, on behalf of their members and stakeholders, to Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander to endorse London Gatwick’s growth plans.

December 19, 2024: Eighty per cent of residents across the South East – who expressed a preference - support London Gatwick’s plans for growth, according to a new YouGov poll.

January 21, 2025: It was announced expansion at London Gatwick Airport – with the use of a second runway - could go ahead under new Government growth plans. The airport’s expansion is being looked at by the Treasury, along with plans for a third runway at Heathrow and increased capacity at Luton Airport, according to news outlets.

January 24, 2025: The Government announced so-called “blockers” to major transport projects will be cleared in a move that looks set to curb challenges to Heathrow and Gatwick Airport expansions.

January 29, 2025: Chancellor Rachel Reeves made a growth speech where she was expected to give her support to the expansion. But The Chancellor only made a passing reference to Gatwick but did back a third runway at Heathrow Airport. CAGNE were ’relieved’ she didn’t voice her opinion on Gatwick’s plans in the speech. Gatwick CEO Stewart Wingate welcomed the Chancellor's support on airport growth.

February 26, 2025: It was reported the Transport Secretary would give the plans the go ahead after comments made at the annual dinner of trade body Airlines UK in London on Tuesday evening, Alexander said: “I have no intention of clipping anyone's wings. I am not some sort of flight-shaming eco warrior. I love flying – I always have. This Government believes in increasing airport capacity. We're ambitious for the sector. But these strict criteria must be met if we are to balance the needs of today with the necessities of tomorrow."

February 26, 2025: Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign (GACC) held a rally against London Gatwick airport’s £2.2 billion Northern Runway plans.

February 27, 2025: Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has ‘set out a path to approving’ Gatwick airport's expansion project following the planning inspectorate initially rejected the airport’s application to bring its emergency runway into routine use. The Planning Inspectorate then recommended Ms Alexander should give the project the go-ahead if adjustments are made on issues such as the proportion of passengers who travel to and from the airport by public transport, and noise mitigation. The airport as until April 24 to respond.

August 7, 2025: London Gatwick said it’s Northern Runway plans could help unlock £275m a year for the Sussex visitor economy, as the region looks to attract more high-value international tourists. If approved later this year, the airport’s proposals would enable an additional 1.6m international inbound passengers annually by 2038. This growth is central to ambitions for Sussex to raise its global profile and attract tourists who stay longer and spend more.

August 14, 2025: Outgoing Gatwick CEO Stewart Wingate believes he and his team have given the Government a ‘pathway forward to approve’ the £2.2bn Northern Runway plans. And after the release of London Gatwick’s interim financial results, Mr Wingate told SussexWorld he is optimistic for an optimistic outcome when the final decision is made, which was expected by October 27.

August 26, 2025: A Gatwick campaign group said it was is ready to serve a Judicial Review (JR) over the airport’s £2.2 billion Northern runway plans, but says it will need help with further funding. Communities Against Gatwick Noise and Emissions (CAGNE) has been fighting the plans since their inception seven years again.

Sunday, September 21, 2025: Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has approved plans for a second runway at London Gatwick Airport saying it’s a ‘no brainer to improve economic growth’.

January 2026: GACC and CAGNE present legal challenges to the plans to the High Court.

June 23, 2026: High Court Judge Mr Justice Mould dismissed two challenges brought by GACC and CAGNE – both groups will consider appealing the ruling. A CAGNE statement said: “CAGNE will not accept this ruling as the final word. Our legal team will now consider an appeal, and we will continue to stand up for the communities who will be forced to live with the consequences of this expansion.”

A GACC spokesperson said: “GACC and their Chairman Peter Barclay, who brought this case, are disappointed in today’s decision of Mr Justice Mould rejecting Mr Barclay’s claim against the Secretary of State’s decision permitting the large-scale expansion of Gatwick Airport."

A Gatwick spokesperson said: “This is a victory for common sense. We now look forward to turning our plans into reality and will announce further details in due course.”