The case against a second runway

Here, chairman of the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign Brendon Sewill explains why a second runway at Gatwick would be devastating for homeowners and the surrounding countryside, while any attempt to breach a long-standing agreement not to build another runway before 2019 would be 'immoral'.

"Even the smallest option under consideration, for a close parallel runway, would make Gatwick, at 62 million passengers, the same size as Heathrow today.

"It would mean 6,000 extra people affected by serious noise, 50% more aircraft and twice the road traffic.

"Any close parallel runway would be inefficient as all aircraft would have to cross the runway to reach the terminals.

"When the time came to build it there can be no doubt that it would be replaced by a full scale runway, meaning far worse noise, traffic and pollution.

"The legal agreement between BAA and West Sussex County Council that no new runway can be constructed before August 2019 remains in force.

"It would be immoral to overturn it.

"After 2019 the environmental damage would be just as great, and the uncertainty would leave the whole Gatwick area under intolerable blight.

"After three years of intensive study, covering both economic and environmental issues in great detail, the Government decided that Gatwick was not the right place to build a new runway.

"The latest Treasury figures show that a new runway at Gatwick would provide lower net economic benefits than a new runway at either Heathrow or Stansted.

"Government figures, also show that if air travel paid the same tax as car travel, demand for air travel would continue to grow, but more slowly at 2% a year, and that there would be no need for any new runways."

Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign was founded in 1965 to protect the environment around Gatwick. In addition to individuals, its members include over 100 District and Parish Councils and amenity groups. Read more about GACC's case against a second runway here.

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