Anger as Gatwick is highlighted for expansion
UK: Plans include two new runways and a quadrupling of capacity
The focus of the Government’s efforts to accommodate the expanding aviation industry has now moved to Gatwick airport, with plans released yesterday including two new runways allowing a quadrupling of passenger numbers.
As reported by News From Abroad, Gatwick has originally been excluded from the Government’s plans to expand air capacity in the south east because of an existing agreement that there should be no more expansion of Gatwick until 2019 at the earliest.
However, challenges from campaigners at other airports earmarked for expansion led to the transport secretary Alistair Darling changing his plans. Yesterday’s revised plans show three options; two include building one new runway, the third involves two new runways and increasing the airport to double its present size.
And while such an expansion could create many thousands of jobs in the area, the plans have inevitably come under fire from campaign groups based near the airport. The plans would involve the demolition of more than 400 homes as well as the loss of 200 acres of ancient woodland, 640 acres of agricultural land and 1,300 acres of Green Belt land.
Other proposals currently include expanding Heathrow and/or Stansted airports, as well as the possibility of a completely new facility near Cliffe, north Kent. A final decision will (allegedly) be made in the Government’s White Paper later this year.
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