A consortium of 10 local authorities near Gatwick have signed a joint statement raising concerns over the potential increase in noise and air pollution if the airport brings another runway into use.
Gatwick Airport Ltd has submitted its Northern Runway Project application to the Planning Inspectorate for development consent.
The scheme would see the Northern Runway, which is currently only used as a taxiway, brought into regular use, increasing the number of passengers a year to around 75 million by the late 2030s.
Gatwick Airport Ltd says this will create around 14,000 new jobs and inject £1bn into the region’s economy every year.
However, 10 of the councils bordering the airport have warned that the current proposals ‘do not provide sufficient controls to ensure the planned development does not exceed air and ground noise and air quality levels.’
The local authorities, which are in Surrey, Kent, East Sussex, and West Sussex, also warned that the doubling of the passenger numbers anticipated will put a strain on the local transport network.
