Residents say they will be forced to sell their homes as a result of a decision to build a second runway at Gatwick Airport.
Locals say the decision to approve the £2.2 billion plan is ‘heartbreaking’ and ‘appalling’.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander gave it the go-ahead.
The privately financed project will lead to an increase of 100,000 flights a year. In 2024 Gatwick handled around 265,000 flights in total.
Ms Alexander backed the scheme as a ‘no-brainer’ for economic growth, a Government source said, suggesting flights could take off from the new full runway before 2029.
But residents nearby have been left ‘bewildered’ by the decision, which they say will leave ‘grave’ environmental impacts.
Ryan Shirley, 56, of nearby Charlwood, is part of a major companion group which opposed the plan.
The decorator said: ‘I think it’s terrible.
‘I’ll probably put my house up for sale now. I’m right under the flight plan. At the moment it’s bearable. But this is now just insane. There’s no consideration to locals.
Residents in Charlwood live next to Gatwick airport which has announced a second runway will be built
Barbara Cole, 67, said the second runway would be terrible for noise and the environment
‘Why not build a new airport entirely in a more suitable location? Gatwick was already very operational. Heathrow is not far away and Stansted is only down the road.
‘It makes no sense. It will lead to grave environmental consequences.
‘I’ve been here 20 years. It will rip the life out of the village. I believe housing developers will use this as an excuse to build more and more houses. Local infrastructure will fall apart and this lovely village will get swallowed up.’
The new runway has been given the green light but the first flights are unlikely to take off until 2029, according to sources.
It is expected to take until the late 2030s to achieve the full benefits in terms of extra passengers.
Helen Hill, 70, said her son would now consider moving out of the village as a result of the decision.
The retired teacher said: ‘There is not one single advantage.
‘People say at least it will create jobs, but for who? Not locals, there’s no unemployment here. It’s a totally unsuitable location.
‘There are far better places which would serve the local community better than this village.
‘The fumes and environmental damage will be grave. It’s a terrible decision for everyone involved.
‘My son will move as soon as he can.
Helen Hill, 70, said she could not see ‘one single advantage’ and said her son would be moving out of the village
Mother-of-two Ami Nicholls, 32, said she was ‘shocked’ at the news and says residents have been ignored
‘It will drive down house prices. Who would want to live here?’
Mum-of-two Ami Nicholls, 32, said she was ‘shocked’ at the news.
She said: ‘I’m really disappointed. I didn’t think it would be approved. I thought the government would see sense.
‘I have been part of the campaign against it. I believe they’ll be an appeal and I think that’s will be successful.
‘There’s no justification for this. We, as locals in this village, have not had our voices heard.
‘We have been ignored. It’s a nightmare.
‘The summer will be worse. The increase in noise and environmental impacts are hard to understand.
‘There will also be added traffic. It’s not the right decision.’
The plans for the new runway were initially rejected earlier this year by the Planning Inspectorate, however they reccommended Ms Alexander should approve if changes were made.
Gatwick says its plans will create £1billion per year in economic benefits, and generate an additional 14,000 jobs.
Danny Savage, 54, who also lives in the village, believes locals against it should be more accepting.
He said: ‘Anyone who doesn’t like living near an airport and moved in here needs to have a word with their estate agent.
Danny Savage, 54, argued that locals against the development should be more accepting
Jenny Rendall, 46, (pictured with her son Jesse) said she was against it – but could see the advantages of extra holidays
‘They also need to have a word with themselves. If people don’t like the negative impact of living near an airport, then don’t move here.’
Retired graphic designer Barbara Cole, 67, who also lives in the village, said she was concerned by the news.
She said: ‘I love the airport itself, I really do. I think there’s so many advantages to it.
‘When it was covid, I actually missed the flights.
‘But I am worried about the expansion. It’ll be terrible for noise and the environment.
‘Where will it end? It’s shocking that although the council were against it, the government has put it through.’
Marketing manager Jenny Rendall, 46, said she was against it – but could see the advantages of extra holidays.
She said: ‘I think having more choice of holiday destinations is brilliant. And it gives us more chance to go away.
‘But the downsides are big. Noise and pollution is bad. That’s upsetting.’Pauline Weston, 65, has lived in the village for 20 years and believed it would now be ‘ruined’.
The retired administrator said: ‘It’s the end of the village in 20 years I think.
‘They just want to build and build, with no thought of what we think. I’m really upset.
‘I had come to accept the decision would be made but I’m very much against it.
‘I think it’s heartbreaking.
‘I am bewildered as to why it would be a good idea.’
According to new research, the plans could cause house prices in the local area to plummet by as much as £40,000.
The plans could cause house prices in the local area, including Charlwood, to plummet by as much as £40,000.
Properties in the ‘Gatwick Diamond’ which refers to the cluster of local authorities surrounding the hub, including Crawley, Reigate and Banstead, Horsham, Mid Sussex, Mole Valley and Tandridget, are expected be impacted the most by the construction.
An analysis looked at the current average house prices in these areas, as well as how market values could be impacted during the initial planning stages.
It also included the impact for the nearest areas once construction gets underway and the runway begins to operate. Long-term benefits were also accounted for.
Before construction even begins, properties are expected to fall in value by an average of -3 per cent, according to estate agency Yopa, who conducted the research.
Mole Valley is predicted to be hit the worst and see a reduction of £16,205.
But homeowners should be more concerned about when building work for the new runway starts.
The analysis found the homes closest to Gatwick or located under new flight paths could reduce in value by -7.5 per cent.
In Mole Valley, this would be a £40,513 fall on average, while it could be £38,270 in Tandridge and £36,469 in Reigate and Banstead.
Elsewhere, property owners could see a £33,080 reduction in Horsham, £32,713 in Mid Sussex and £24,475 in Crawley.
However, it isn’t all doom and gloom. Once the runway is completed, it could actually help boost the value of nearby homes.
The privately financed project will lead to an increase of 100,000 flights a year at the airport
In the year after the runway is built, analysis estimates house prices could climb by an average of 9.5 per cent as the economic benefit of more jobs and better transport links starts to filter through to the local economy.
A DfT spokesperson told the Daily Mail: ‘Following careful consideration, the Transport Secretary has today issued a letter confirming that she has approved Gatwick Airport’s application to expand its operations, through routine use of its existing northern runway.’
Gatwick is not the only southeastern travel looking to increase its capacity.
On August 1 – one day after the government’s official deadline – Heathrow Airport submitted plans for a third runway, with CEO Thomas Woldbye calling the need for expansion ‘urgent’.
The same month the travel hub handled more than eight million monthly passengers for the first time in its history.
Heathrow also reported its busiest ever day on August 1, with around 270,000 people passing through the airport.
However, the expansion plans face pushback from environmental groups, with campaigners referring to it as a ‘doomed scheme’ that would generate vast quantities of additional CO2 at a time when the Labour government is chasing Net Zero.
The proposals have also come under fire from local residents of the chocolate box towns of Sipson, Harlington, and Harmondsworth.
Lying stranded in the one mile strip of land between the M4 motorway and Heathrow airport, many long-standing residents will be forced to move out and sell their homes to the government under Compulsory Purchase Orders.
Additionally, around 750 cherished buildings – including some that were built in the 17th century – will be demolished.
