Campaigners consider appeal after Gatwick bids fail

Campaigners consider appeal after Gatwick bids failImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Gatwick said it was a "victory for common sense" but campaigners intend to appealByTheo Leggett, International Business Correspondent and Tanya Gupta, South EastPublished23 June 2026, 14:24 BSTUpdated 40 minutes agoCampaigners opposing Gatwick Airport expansion have lost two High Court challenges against the government but have said they will consider an appeal. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander approved a £2.2bn plan in September to move Gatwick's emergency runway 12 metres north, allowing a two-runway operation. The anti-noise group Cagne and campaigner Peter Barclay told a hearing in January the scheme was unlawful, claiming the government had not properly assessed climate impact. Ruling earlier, Mr Justice Mould dismissed both bids, concluding the scheme would not "materially impact" the government's ability to meet net zero targets - a decision Gatwick called a "victory for common sense".The Department for Transport (DfT) and the airport's owner, Gatwick Airport Limited, had defended the challenge, with lawyers for the site claiming it was "unarguable".The scheme is expected to increase Gatwick's capacity from about 280,000 flights a year currently, to 389,000 by the late 2030s.'Huge economic benefits'In a 100-page judgment, the judge also rejected an argument against the need for expansion at the airport, given its proximity to Heathrow, which is about 40 miles (64 km) away via the M25.The judge said the DfT had considered the West Sussex airport primarily a leisure airport, largely served by low-cost carriers, with passenger numbers expected to grow.Mr Justice Mould said Alexander had "considered both the need for and the socio-economic effects of the proposed development to be important".He added: "Her conclusions are rational and supported by proper, adequate and intelligible reaso...