GACC NEWSLETTER
Number 157
Issued : Tuesday 23rd June 2026
Dear Members, Supporters, and Friends,
As you may be aware from today’s news coverage we have lost the first round of the legal challenge against Gatwick’s Northern Runway expansion plan. The full details of what’s happened are in our press release which can be read below or via this link here.
The next step is to appeal this decision and our legal team have been analysing the judge’s decision in detail to establish grounds for an appeal. We must submit these ground within seven days so there’s a significant amount of activity in studying the Judge’s decision. If you wish you can read the judgement here.
Naturally an appeal will incur more legal fees alongside our outstanding balance of fees at circa £70,000. The additional cost for an appeal is in two stages and could approach £50,000. So we need funding today – Link to Crowd Justice. Please spread the word !
Our view is that coming this far would be a wasted journey if we do not appeal. Just for information the Finch case concerning the Horse Hill oil drilling required a challenge to the High Court, Appeal and then Supreme Court to finally achieve a fair decision in law.
We’re holding a Zoom briefing on Wednesday 8th July at 7:00 pm to give an assessment of the judgement and the details of an appeal. Here’s the link to the Zoom meet.
At GACC’s AGM last night Peter Barclay, Chair, gave a brief description of the years activities which of course have been dominated by the legal challenge to the Gatwick Northern Runway. The Chair’s Report will be uploaded to our website shortly. The committee as nominated were re-elected and the accounts were approved by the meeting.
We need to continue our fund raising programme. We have two events, a family sponsored walk around Gatwick on 12th September and a Quiz Night at Gildings Barn, Newdigate on 16th October in the process of being arranged – more information very soon.
PRESS RELEASE 23RD JUNE 2026 – JUDICIAL REVIEW CLAIM CHALLENGING GATWICK AIRPORT EXPANSION REFUSED
GACC and their Chairman Peter Barclay, who brought this case, are disappointed in today’s decision of Mr Justice Mould rejecting Mr Barclay’s claim against the Secretary of State’s decision permitting the large-scale expansion of Gatwick Airport.
Because of the far reaching and significant detrimental impacts of the expansion, which effectively grants Gatwick a second runway and a 60% plus increase of throughput at the airport, we will be looking to appeal this decision.
The Development Consent Order (DCO) made by the Secretary of State for Transport on 21 September 2025 was challenged by Mr Barclay on 5 grounds:
- failing to understand and apply the government’s own aviation policy, which specifically rejected a second runway at Gatwick,
- failing to act in accordance with the purpose of the statutory scheme envisaged by the Planning Act 2008 and Climate Change Act 2008 by applying an out-of-date national policy statement,
- failing to comply with the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations and to take adequate account of Greenhouse Gas Emissions;
- failing to lawfully assess the need for and economic benefits of the development, in circumstances where GACC and the New Economics Foundation (NEF) had shown Gatwick’s economic case to subject to considerable doubt; and
- misinterpreting noise policies and reaching irrational conclusions on noise.
The case was heard over 4 days (together with a claim brought by CAGNE) in January 2026. Today’s judgment rejected all grounds of challenge.
Peter Barclay said “Both before and since the DCO was approved by the Secretary of State, the Climate Change Committee, and now the Parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee also, have strongly recommended there should be no airport expansion. The expansion decision ignores that advice and the judgment today provides no answer on how outdated National Policy Statements should be addressed. Thus we must continue to challenge the Secretary of States’s decision to allow Gatwick to proceed with this highly damaging project”
“Gatwick’s own recently published year-end financial and statistical statements show growth at Gatwick is stalling. Reliance on outdated policies and a flawed business case mean that not only will this expansion have devastating environmental impacts but it is also unlikely to deliver the economic benefits claimed. GACC therefore still endorses the statement ‘Gatwick’s Big Enough’.”
“The upshot of the judge’s decision seems to be that noise policies are not worth the paper they are written on. They don’t require proper protections in a meaningful timeframe, while airports reap the economic benefits of expansion. This is particularly disappointing given the recent reports published on the harmful impact of noise on communities (Anase and ANNE reports)”, Mr Barclay continued.
Our thanks to all who have supported our challenge with both financial and moral support. Many thanks to the team of experts who have advised us throughout and a huge thank you to our brilliant legal team: Alex Goodman KC, Gethin Thomas, Alice Goodenough and Emilio Miranda-Graham!
“This claim raised important questions about the interpretation of government policy, which explicitly rejected a second runway at Gatwick, and whether there would be any national economic benefit from Gatwick’s expansion due to serious doubts about the airport’s business case. Given the environmental harm that will result from this development, Mr Barclay is of the view that the High Court should have grappled with those questions, but failed to do so”, said Alice Goodenough, partner of Goodenough Ring Solicitors.
The work to date has been challenging and time intensive. We continue to fundraise to cover our legal costs and to make sure we can take our case to the Court of Appeal. Under new rules we have just 7 days to apply to the Court of Appeal. Please therefore give what you can today and spread the word – Link to Crowd Justice
GACC Chair – Peter Barclay: info@gacc.org.uk, 07720 397 354
GACC ViceChair – Jonathan Essex: greenjonathanessex@gmail.com, 07801 541 924
Last updated 23rd June 2026