Edinburgh Airport gives verdict as new Gatwick runway signalled for approval

Expansion plan ‘far more realistic and deliverable’ than those for Heathrow, an Edinburgh Airport spokesman has said

Scotland’s busiest airport has thrown its weight behind a second runway at sister airport Gatwick as UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander signalled her support for the expansion.

Edinburgh Airport, which is under the same ownership as the UK’s second busiest airport, described the Gatwick plans as “far more realistic and deliverable than others” in a reference to Heathrow’s ambitions to build a third runway.

Gatwick wants to bring its second, emergency runway into routine use for take-offs by smaller aircraft, increasing the airport's annual flight capacity by 100,000 | Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

Ms Alexander announced on Thursday she was “minded to approve” the Gatwick scheme to relocate and bring into regular use its emergency runway if changes were made, with a final decision to be made by October.

These relate to issues such as the proportion of passengers who travel to and from the airport by public transport, and noise mitigation.

The project would involve moving the emergency runway 12m north, enabling it to be used for departures of narrow-bodied planes such as Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s, increasing annual flights by some 100,000 a year.

Gatwick said the project was ready to go and could be completed by the end of the decade.

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Chief executive Stewart Wingate welcomed the announcement, but added: "It is vital any planning conditions attached to the final approval enable us to make a decision to invest £2.2 billion in this project and realise the full benefits of bringing the northern runway into routine use."

Edinburgh has been a long-time supporter of Gatwick expansion. French airports group Vinci holds a majority stake in both airports after acquiring 50.01 per cent of Edinburgh in a £1.27 billion deal in April last year.

Both were owned by Global Infrastructure Partners in the past, which retains a minority stake in each.

A spokesperson for Edinburgh Airport said of Ms Alexander’s announcement: "We welcome this decision, which is far more realistic and deliverable than others, and makes clear that it will increasing domestic and international connectivity.

"Our focus will always be on realising the potential of Scotland's aviation industry and ensuring more direct links to the world from Edinburgh, and we will be engaging with our colleagues at Gatwick on how we can work together to achieve this.”

However, the spokesperson declined to explain how the move would win more direct routes for Edinburgh, which it has said it would “always focus on”.

Edinburgh Airport has previously described Gatwick’s plans as also being “more attractive” than those at Heathrow, which were seen as less achievable because of the controversy over the increased noise and emissions it is expected to cause at the UK’s busiest airport.

But environmental campaigners Greenpeace said the Gatwick scheme would “hang a millstone the size of a 747 around the country’s neck”.

UK policy director Doug Parr said: “Such a decision would be one that smacks of desperation, completely ignoring the solid evidence that increasing air travel won't drive economic growth.

“The only thing it’s set to boost is air pollution, noise and climate emissions.”

Alethea Warrington, head of aviation at climate charity Possible, said: “Giving the green light to yet another airport expansion is as economically clueless as it is environmentally destructive.”