Gatwick Airport’s £2.2 billion second runway plan has been approved by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander.

The West Sussex airport is set to move its emergency runway 12 metres north, enabling it to be used for narrow-bodied planes such as Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s.

The privately funded project will mean the airport can accommodate 100,000 more flights a year.

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.

The cabinet minister is satisfied with adjustments made, covering issues such as noise mitigation and the proportion of passengers who would travel to and from the airport by public transport.

The Planning Inspectorate initially rejected the airport’s appl

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