CAGNE clarifies basis of High Court appeal concerning proposed Gatwick expansion
Campaign and environment group Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions (CAGNE) have clarified the basis of their appeal against the High Court concerning Gatwick Airport’s proposed expansion – stressing the appeal is about accountability, proper scrutiny and protecting residents across Sussex, Surrey and Kent.
A CAGNE spokesperson said: “CAGNE is the largest aviation community and environmental group representing residents across Sussex, Surrey and Kent.
“Since 2018, when Gatwick Airport launched its masterplan for a three-runway airport, CAGNE has worked with legal representatives and qualified experts to examine the airport’s proposals and help residents understand what a second operational runway could mean for their daily lives.
“Much of the public debate has focused on claims of jobs and economic benefit. CAGNE believes those claims require rigorous scrutiny, particularly where the costs and pressures may fall on local residents, public services and already stretched infrastructure.
“Communities deserve more than sales pitches: they deserve clear guarantees, enforceable commitments and full transparency about who pays for the roads, rail, wastewater capacity, public services and environmental protections that expansion would require.”
“During the planning process, CAGNE instructed experts and a legal team to represent residents and test the evidence submitted by Gatwick Airport.
“This work helped local people engage with thousands of pages of technical documents covering noise, air quality, surface access, wastewater, climate impacts and the wider effects on communities beyond the airport boundary.”
Sally Pavey, chair of CAGNE, said: “Residents are not asking for special treatment. They are asking for fairness, honesty and accountability.
“For years, CAGNE has helped communities understand what Gatwick’s expansion would mean in practice, beyond the headline promises.
“If the airport and government believe this project is justified, then the evidence must stand up to proper legal and public scrutiny.
“Communities should not be left to carry the burden while the benefits are promoted elsewhere.”
A CAGNE spokesperson continued: “The appeal is based on three environmental impacts and one lack of wastewater treatment plant.
“Residents and elected representatives have repeatedly thanked CAGNE for helping to hold Gatwick Airport to account.
“The issues raised are practical and immediate: increased aircraft noise, poorer air quality, congestion on local roads, pressure on rail services, limited funding for infrastructure, lack of wastewater capacity, and additional strain on schools, health services and other public services.
“It is therefore disappointing to see CAGNE’s work dismissed or misrepresented by commentators who may not have read the full documentation or understood the scale of the impacts being considered. The appeal is about proper process, proper assessment and proper accountability – not political point-scoring.
“CAGNE remains non-political and not anti-aviation. Gatwick’s proposals would add millions more passengers and thousands more flights each year. The consequences would be felt far beyond the airport periphery, including by communities under flight paths and along road and rail routes that would be relied upon during construction and operation.
“CAGNE will continue to support residents in a balanced and constructive way, seeking meaningful protections for the local environment and proper accountability for the impacts of expansion.
“Residents who are concerned about the potential cost of a new runway – whether through local taxes, pressure on public infrastructure or reduced quality of life – are encouraged to support CAGNE’s appeal at www.cagne.org.”