Campaigners lose High Court battle over Gatwick Airport expansion
Legal challenges dismissed as expansion plans approved
Last updated 23rd Jun 2026
High Court challenges against the £2.2 billion expansion of Gatwick Airport have been unsuccessful.
Campaigner Peter Barclay and the group Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions (Cagne) argued that the decision to approve the airport's expansion was unlawful due to inadequate assessment of its climate impacts by the government.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander approved the plans in September, which would allow Gatwick's emergency runway to be moved 12 metres north. This move aims to accommodate 100,000 more flights annually.
Gatwick Airport Limited and the Department for Transport defended their case, asserting that the challenge was unfounded.
In a decision on Tuesday, Mr Justice Mould dismissed the legal action, noting in his 100-page judgment that while the expansion would have some adverse effects, it would not significantly undermine governmental net zero targets.
The judge highlighted that the Transport Secretary didn't disregard the significant environmental effects when evaluating the development consent order, yet deemed them not conclusive in her decision-making process.
Arguments suggesting the expansion's necessity were also dismissed, with the judgment acknowledging that Gatwick largely serves leisure travellers and low-cost airlines, projecting passenger growth.
Mr Justice Mould concluded that Mrs Alexander's assessment of the socio-economic implications was reasonable, underpinned by logical reasoning.
In a statement after the ruling, Cagne said it would not accept the judgment “as the final word”.
The group said: “Our legal team will now consider an appeal, and we will continue to stand up for the communities who will be forced to live with the consequences of this expansion.
“Cagne are obviously disappointed by today’s ruling. Communities across Sussex, Surrey and Kent helped fund this legal action because they have grave and legitimate concerns about the proposed expansion: the lack of airport funding for essential infrastructure, the absence of proper investment in sewerage treatment, the increased noise burden on local residents, worsening air quality, and the significant rise in CO2 and other harmful emissions.
“Today’s ruling provides no reassurance for those concerns. It does not change the fact that local communities are being asked to carry the consequences while the airport fails to provide the funding needed to protect the people and places affected.
“It is fundamentally wrong that taxpayers should be expected to meet the costs of new runway operations while shareholders stand to profit from an additional 101,000 flights a year and 80 million passengers. The public should not be left to pay for the infrastructure, environmental damage and disruption created by private gain.
“This Government must stop viewing aviation expansion through rose-tinted glasses and relying on unsubstantiated claims of economic benefit while ignoring the vast local and global environmental costs.
“Communities deserve honesty, accountability and protection — not another decision that sidelines their health, homes and environment.”
Mr Barclay said after the decision: “Both before and since the development consent order was approved by the Secretary of State, the Climate Change Committee, and now the Parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee also, have strongly recommended there should be no airport expansion.
“The expansion decision ignores that advice and the judgment today provides no answer on how outdated National Policy Statements should be addressed.
“Thus we must continue to challenge the Secretary of State’s decision to allow Gatwick to proceed with this highly damaging project.”
A London Gatwick spokesperson said: “We are pleased with today’s High Court ruling to uphold the Government’s careful decision to grant planning approval for our Northern Runway Project.
“Our exciting plans will deliver significant business, tourism and trade benefits for the UK, including 14,000 new jobs and a £1 billion boost to the economy every year.
“This is a victory for common sense. We now look forward to turning our plans into reality and will announce further details in due course.”
Published - 2026-06-23T11:08:56Z