Gatwick Airport's £2.2 billion second runway plan has been given the go-ahead by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander.In the privately-financed project, the West Sussex airport 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.This will enable it to be used for about 100,000 more flights a year.

Gatwick Airport's £2.2 billion second runway plan has been given the go-ahead by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander.In the privately-financed project, the West Sussex airport 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.This will enable it to be used for about 100,000 more flights a year.