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Gatwick Airport to announce second runway plan Gatwick Airport announces second runway plan
(about 5 hours later)
Gatwick Airport is due to announce its preferred location for a second runway later. Gatwick Airport has announced its preferred location for a second runway.
The airport will reveal the details of its final submission to the Davies Commission, which is looking at raising airport capacity. The airport has revealed details of its final submission to the Davies Commission, which is looking at raising airport capacity.
Gatwick will set out its proposals for a "constellation of three London airports" with two runways each. Chief executive Stewart Wingate said the airport wanted a second runway to be positioned south of the existing airport.
The airport has said competition between it, Heathrow and Stansted was "the best solution for London". He said there was a "robust and compelling case" for going ahead with the plans.
Mayor Boris Johnson's three proposals to the commission include a four-runway hub on an artificial island in the Thames Estuary, previously dubbed Boris Island. Mr Wingate said building an extra runway at Gatwick could be privately financed and was "the best and most deliverable solution".
He also proposed a hub on the Isle of Grain in Kent or expanding Stansted. Several options have been put forward for increasing aviation capacity including the expansion of Gatwick in West Sussex, the expansion of Heathrow, the building of a new hub airport in the Thames Estuary, and greater use of existing regional airports across the South East.
Heathrow has proposed three options for a new runway in West London and Surrey. 'Constellation system'
Gatwick has engaged architect Sir Terry Farrell to design its plans. Mr Wingate said expansion at Gatwick would cost between £5bn and £9bn and the second runway could be open by 2025.
He said the plans had the support of business groups including the Gatwick Diamond Initiative and Sussex Enterprise and local authorities including West Sussex County Council and Kent County Council.
He added: "A two-runway Gatwick, as part of a constellation of three major airports surrounding London, will also provide flexibility in an industry where the only constant is change."
He said other world cities, including New York, Tokyo, Paris and Moscow, also operated a multi-airport or "constellation" system and could handle greater numbers of passengers than cities relying on a single hub.