Government puts Gatwick expansion plans on hold

20.10.2009   (GACC press release)

The Government has imposed an Article 14 Direction* on Crawley Borough Council
to prevent them giving planning permission to extend the North Terminal until
the Government decides whether there should be a public inquiry.

Crawley had unexpectedly brought forward a decision on the BAA planning application,
and it was debated on Monday night (19 October).   The Council were ‘minded to
approve’ but prevented from giving the go-ahead.

GACC had argued that tough conditions should be imposed to ensure no increase
in noise, no increase in pollution and no increase in climate change damage.    
Crawley planning officers suggested that these conditions would be difficult to
enforce.   GACC said that similar conditions had been imposed at Heathrow, so why
not at Gatwick?

The extension to the North Terminal is designed to enable the airport to handle
20,000 more flights than in 2008, and 5 million more passengers.   "That is bigger
than the total size of many regional airports" said Brendon Sewill, chairman of
GACC.   "The increased noise and pollution could affect a wide area of Surrey and
Sussex, not just Crawley, so we think that it is essential that there should be
a proper public inquiry so that there can be a logical discussion on how to achieve
growth without damage to the environment."

GACC has calculated that the effect of an extra 5 million passengers, mostly
British residents going abroad on holiday, would mean a loss of around 30,000
UK jobs as people spent their money abroad instead of in this country.

 

Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign   (GACC) website at:

http://www.gacc.org.uk/

 

*   An Article 14 Direction is a term used in British planning law for a directive
issued by the British Government which prevents a Local Planning Authority granting
planning permission for a specific proposal.    It has no time limit, so remains
in force until explicitly lifted.     It is typically used to allow a regional government
office more time to consider proposals.
 
 
 
 
6.8.2009

Gatwick airport submits application for North Terminal extension

Gatwick has put in a planning application for an extension to the North Terminal
and other works to enable the airport to expand from its previous peak of 35 million
passengers a year to 40 m, with 20,000 extra flights a year. The increase sought
is larger than the total size of many regional airports, and will mean more noise,
and more pollution. The impact of the application would be more than double the
total climate change impact of Crawley Borough.   6.8.2009    More …..