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Gatwick’s second runway has been given the go-ahead by the government.
The northern runway already exists parallel to Gatwick‘s main one, but cannot be used at the same time, as it is too close.
It is currently limited to being a taxiway and is only used for take-offs and landings if the main one has to shut.
The £2.2bn expansion project will see it move 12 metres north so both can operate similtaneously, facilitating 100,000 extra flights a year, 14,000 jobs, and £1billion a year for the economy.
It would also mean the airport could process 75 million passengers a year by the late 2030s.
Gatwick is already the second busiest airport in the UK, and the busiest single runway airport in Europe.
No public money is being used for the expansion plan, which airport bosses say could see the new runway operational by 2029.
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The expansion was initially rejected by the Planning Inspectorate over concerns about its provisions for noise prevention and public transport connections.
Campaigners also argued the additional air traffic will be catastrophic for the environment and the local community.
A revised plan was published by the planning authority earlier this year, which it said could be approved by the government if all conditions were met.
The government says it is now satisfied this is the case, with additions made including Gatwick being able to set its own target for passengers who travel to the airport by public transport – instead of a statutory one.
Nearby residents affected by noise will also be able to charge the airport for the cost of triple-glazed windows.
And people who live directly under the flight path who choose to sell their homes could have their stamp duty and estate agent fees paid for up to 1% of the purchase price.
CAGNE, an aviation and environmental group in Sussex, Surrey, and Kent, says it still has…
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