EAST Sussex County Council has given its backing to Gatwick Airport’s proposal for a second runway.

The new runway is one of the proposals put forward to the Government’s Airports Commission in July to address long term aviation capacity in the South East. 

At his latest decision making meeting, Cllr Rupert Simmons, lead member for economy, agreed the authority should support the proposed new runway, ahead of the commission’s publication in mid-December of its shortlist of options to address long-term aviation capacity in the South East.

Cllr Simmons said: “A second runway at Gatwick Airport will help to deliver our key council priority of economic growth and creating jobs for our residents.

“I will be writing to the Airports Commission prior to the publication of their shortlist of proposals to inform them of the county council’s support for a second runway at Gatwick, but underpinning that with the necessary investment in infrastructure requirements.”