A major legal battle over the future of one of the UK's busiest airports begins this week, as a campaign group challenges the government's approval of a £2.2bn expansion at Gatwick.
Legal Showdown Over Northern Runway Plans
The High Court will hear arguments from Tuesday 20th to Friday 23rd January 2026, in a case brought by the campaign group Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions (CAGNE). The group is seeking a judicial review of the transport secretary's decision to grant development consent for the project.
In September, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander approved plans to reposition Gatwick's existing northern runway. This runway has been in place since 1979 but has been restricted to emergency use. The approved scheme will move it 12 metres north, allowing it to be used simultaneously with the main runway for departures by narrow-bodied aircraft like the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737.
The Economic Promise Versus Environmental Concerns
The government and airport authorities have championed the project's economic benefits. Chancellor Rachel Reeves stated that the expansion would create "thousands more jobs and billions more in investment for the economy." Gatwick estimates the change will enable an additional 100,000 flights per year, significantly boosting capacity.
However, CAGNE argues the decision-making process was fundamentally "flawed." The group's central claim is that the government failed to properly assess the project's greenhouse gas emissions and its overall impact on climate change during the planning application process.
Julia Eriksen, a senior associate at law firm Leigh Day who is representing the campaigners, explained their position. "The group will argue that development consent for the expansion should not have been granted, given what they feel are a number of gaps in the planning application and assessment of environmental effects," she said.
A Pivotal Week for UK Aviation Policy
The outcome of this four-day hearing could have significant ramifications for UK infrastructure and environmental policy. It pits the government's strategy for increasing aviation capacity against growing legal demands for rigorous climate change accountability.
Both CAGNE and the Department for Transport will present their cases before a High Court judge. The Department for Transport was contacted for a comment on the impending legal proceedings.
This case highlights the increasing tension between national economic development goals and the UK's legal commitments to reducing carbon emissions, setting a potential precedent for other major infrastructure projects.
