Gatwick Airport has confirmed the development of the second runway and it’s causing quite the stir! With the goal of the runway being operational by 2030, we wanted to understand what this could mean for you, your family, and the area you live in.

This affects all of us across Surrey and Sussex – whether it’s new job opportunities, changes to property values, increased air traffic, or road congestion, everyone will feel the impact in different ways.

14,000 jobs – and memories of Virgin’s departure

Gatwick says the development will create 14,000 new jobs in the South East. For many of us, this brings back memories of 2020 when Virgin Atlantic closed its Gatwick base during the pandemic, cutting 3,150 jobs in one devastating blow. The loss hit Crawley particularly hard, where Virgin’s headquarters employed hundreds of local people.

Could this expansion bring jobs back? I reached out to Kevin O’Reilly, Managing Director at One Resourcing, a Crawley-based aviation recruitment specialist, to understand what 14,000 new jobs actually means for us.

“The Northern Runway project is vital for sustaining and growing our local economy. It will create thousands of jobs, boost regional investment, and secure London Gatwick’s position as a key international gateway—benefiting local business like One Resourcing, local communities, and the wider Southeast region”, Kevin explained.

Your house price could take a hit

Research by estate agents, Yopa, shows that the construction and ongoing presence of an additional runway could see house prices in affected areas fall by as much as -7.5%.

Thankfully there’s an upside. Once complete in 2030, house prices could climb back up by around 9.5% on average as more jobs and better transport links boost the local economy.

What local businesses are saying

For local hotels and hospitality businesses, this could mean significant growth. More flights mean more travellers – and not everyone lives a quick Uber ride from the airport.

I asked Nicola Fletcher, Gatwick Cluster Manager of Britannia Hotels (Europa Gatwick and Russ Hill Gatwick), what the expansion means for her business, here’s what she said.

“The impact that will be felt by hotels and the general tourism sector with the development of a second runway will be extremely positive for the local economy and job sector. We look forward to the future development and the increased business opportunities this will bring”.

Local residents are divided

I took to social media to hear directly from you, the community. The responses were split:

Haywards Heath resident, Steve Chadwick said, “Having a second runway is a great idea – it means planes can take off quicker and land faster. It’s far more environmentally friendly than taxiing and circling for ages burning fuel. It’s just like a car park being expanded to provide more parking spaces so you’re not driving around a car park burning off fuel, looking for an empty space, instead you’re parking up quicker and turning your engine off faster!”

However, it seems not everyone would agree with Steve. Louise, a resident of Ifield in Crawley said, “We’re facing the facts of increased noise, air pollution, and traffic congestion, all for short-term economic gain. Once our countryside is gone, it’s gone forever and no amount of corporate promises can replace the peace and balance we stand to lose”.

Emma from Horley told us: “As a family, we’d love more flight choices. Right now we’re limited on where we can fly direct, and connecting through Heathrow with two kids is a nightmare. More airlines competing could mean better prices too.”

The environmental case against

CAGNE (Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions) remains firmly opposed to expansion, raising concerns about noise pollution, air quality, and climate impact. I contacted them to ask for more insight, here’s what they had to say.

“The government seems to care little for the environmental impact aviation is having on our planet. But the impact on the planet has a price, as this new runway will add over 1 million tonnes of extra carbon, plus other greenhouse gases, every year, on top of the main runway. The cost to the planet is put at £9 billion by the New Economics Foundation.”

They continue, “The only guarantee Gatwick has offered is that instead of one runway starting up at 6:30 am until 11:30 pm at night, there will be two, so double the noise over rural areas.”