THE development of Gatwick airport’s second runway is set to begin after the Court of Appeal upheld an earlier ruling that the plans could go ahead.

The £2.2 billion expansion, approved by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander in September, will move the airport’s emergency runway 12 metres north to accommodate around 100,000 more flights a year, with the first flights expected in 2030.

The Court of Appeal dismissed on Tuesday a bid by campaigners to challenge a High Court ruling that the scheme could proceed. 

Campaigner Peter Barclay and Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions (Cagne) had argued the government failed to assess the scheme’s climate impact properly.

Lord Justice Holgate and Lord Justice Dove ruled: “We conclude that each of the grounds of appeal raised by each appellant is unarguable. Neither appeal has a real prospect of success.”

Ms Alexander called the decision a “major milestone for Gatwick and for local communities,” saying: “Around 13 million more passengers and 100,000 more flights will give holidaymakers greater choice and strengthen global links.”

Gatwick airport said the privately funded scheme was “shovel-ready” and would provide a £1bn annual boost to the economy.