'Gatwick is big enough' - Watch as campaign groups stage protest as examination phase starts on Gatwick Northern Runway planning application

The groups were outside the Sandman Hotel on Wednesday morning as the examination process by the Planning Inspectorate started on the airport’s £2.2 billion planning application.

If the planning application goes ahead, it could see an increase the airport operations to around 80m passengers per annum (from 46.6m in 2019) with over 390,000 aircraft movements p.a. (up from 280,000 in 2018/19).

CAGNE (Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions), Extinction Rebellion, local residents, and Safe Landing – a group for climate concerned aviation workers were all represented at the protest in Crawley.

You can watch what each group had to say in the video above.

Extinction Rebellion moored the iconic XR Pink Boat in front of the venue with banners reading 'Fewer Flights Not More' and 'Flying To Extinction' and are accompanied by drummers from XR Rhythms. Another banner reading 'Flight Reductions Not Airport Expansion' was stretched across the dual carriageway outside.

Jonathan Essex, Green group leader on Surrey County Council, also spoke at the protest. He said: “Gatwick should not be competing with Heathrow to be the UK's biggest climate polluter whilst claiming its climate impacts are insignificant. Instead the Government should put a moratorium on airport expansion and establish a framework to limit demand for air travel, as called for by the UK’s official climate change advisors. Airport expansion is completely at odds with the climate emergency. Gatwick's plans are greenwash of the highest order”.

Speakers from each party had their say on why the plans for the expansion is not good for climate change, noise and local infrastructure.

“It was good to see such strong feelings outside the hearing. Residents have made the effort to reach this hotel that is difficult to access by public transport", said Sally Pavey, chair of CAGNE, the umbrella aviation community and environment group for Sussex, Surrey, and Kent.

“If this application to build a new runway is permitted, it will have a devastating impact on both people’s lives and the environment. That is why it is so important that CAGNE are here – not just today, but every day of the hearing, with our qualified team of Kings Council, plus surface transport, aviation noise and air quality expert team, as well as supporting NGO’s tackling the subject of Jet Zero and the environmental destruction of our planet.

“This fight is not over until the Secretary of State for Transport makes his decision. Whatever political party will be in power then, come elections, local or general, we hope that residents here today will reflect their feelings when it comes to the ballot box and the impact that aviation is having on our planet.

“We could not have put together such a strong team, acting for communities and the planet, if residents had not put their hands deep in their pockets and donated to CAGNE.”

London Gatwick have put in place initiatives within the planning applications such as the Noise Insulation Scheme and have moved forward their target of becoming net zero from 2050 to 2030. This week London Gatwick announced they had cut 90% of carbon emissions from 300 of their vehicle fleet by transitioning from diesel fuel to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil.

The airport also say the plans would support 28,000 new jobs and by 2038, through a 61% increase in inbound tourism. This uplift in tourism would also generate £8.74billion of Gross Value Added (GVA) through increased spending of international visitors, amounting to nearly £2 billion more than without the Northern Runway development.