Gatwick second runway plan approved by transport secretary

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has approved plans for a second runway at London Gatwick Airport, as the government looks for economic growth opportunities.

The £2.2bn privately-financed project involves in effect moving the current Northern Runway 12 metres to bring it into regular use, as well as other developments, including extending the size of terminals.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the plans would create "thousands of jobs and billions in investment", but the project has long faced opposition and the Green Party described it as "disaster".

Gatwick currently handles about 280,000 flights a year. It says the plan would enable that number to rise to around 389,000 by the late 2030s.