Gatwick Northern Runway Project application accepted by Planning Inspectorate
On 6 July Gatwick Airport Limited submitted its Northern Runway Project application to the Planning Inspectorate for development consent. Following a 28-day review, during which we were invited to submit an Adequacy of Consultation response (which can be viewed on the Planning Inspectorate’s website), the Planning Inspectorate has accepted the application for detailed consideration and examination.
The Planning Inspectorate has now publicised the submission documents for the development consent order application and details of the public inquiry will follow in due course, with examination anticipated to begin in late November or December and due to last for six months. Following this the Planning Inspectorate will make a recommendation to the Secretary of State, who will decide whether development consent should be granted for the proposed scheme.
More details can be viewed on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.
Gatwick Airport has also issued a media release.
Tandridge District Council is a member of a consortium of 10 local councils in Surrey, Kent, East Sussex and West Sussex, which have come together to ensure their interests are represented. The consortium has issued a joint statement, which is provided below.
Joint statement from the 10 local councils surrounding Gatwick Airport
“We are disappointed that the Planning Inspectorate has this week decided to “accept” Gatwick Airport Limited’s (GAL) Development Consent Order (DCO) application for dual runway operations through the routine use of the existing northern runway for its detailed consideration and examination. We had raised significant concerns about Gatwick’s approach towards engagement and consultation with us and the wider local community and felt that further, more meaningful consultation should have taken place before the application was submitted.
“Now the DCO application has been accepted, we will engage with the Planning Inspectorate with the many outstanding issues that are unresolved and without agreement across a wide range of issues. We believe this challenging situation will require significant resources from the local authorities to present its case on the many and varied environmental and economic impacts arising from the development and the associated growth of the airport. It is hoped that engagement and provision of information by GAL will improve as we approach examination to give confidence to all parties about the impacts of the proposals and enable the Secretary of State to make a robust decision.”