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Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves is declaring that the government’s promise to “kickstart the economy” is underway, after Gatwick Airport’s £2.2bn second runway plan was approved yesterday.

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander has approved a plan under which Gatwick will move its emergency runway 12 metres north, enabling it to be used for departures of narrow-bodied planes such as Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s.

Alexander cleared the plan after Gatwick offered noise mitigation measures, plus stept to ensure a proportion of passengers will travel to the airport via public transport

Gatwick has estimated that the ‘shovel ready’ project will add 14,000 jobs and as much as £1bn in extra economic activity each year.

Reeves is upbeat about the economic benefits of the plan – which has been criticised by environmental groups – saying:

“A second runway at Gatwick means thousands of more jobs and billions more in investment for the economy.

“We are backing the builders, not the blockers. By slashing red tape and transforming the planning system to get Britain building again we are investing in this country’s renewal and building an economy that works for working people.”

The chancellor will be desperate to promote pro-growth measures ahead of her budget in November, where she faces pressures to cut spending or raise taxes to avoid breaching her fiscal rules.

One government source suggested last night that flights could take off from the new full runway by 2029.

Alexander’s decision has received a nod of approval from the opposition Conservative Party.

The shadow transport secretary, Richard Holden, welcomed the decision to approve Gatwick’s second runway, saying:

“If done with sensible mitigations, it will be a vital step towards driving economic growth, improving connectivity, and strengthening Britain’s position on the global stage. But let’s be clear, this decision should have been made months ago.”

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