Poll reveals support in Horsham for Gatwick runway

In an online YouGov commissioned by Gatwick Airport, 57 per cent of Horsham residents supported a second runway at Gatwick over a third one at Heathrow. Only Croydon residents were more supportive (58 per cent).

The polling covered seven areas neighbouring Gatwick – Croydon, Crawley, Mid Sussex, Horsham, Mole Valley, Tandridge, and Reigate and Banstead. The average level of support was 52 per cent in favour of expansion at Gatwick.

Some 36 per cent favoured Heathrow. In Horsham that figure was 35 per cent.

More than half (56 per cent) also said that the advantages of expanding Gatwick outweighed the disadvantages for ‘me and my family’, compared to 36 per cent who disagreed.

Some 69 per cent said expanding Gatwick was important for the local economy, compared with 27 per cent who disagreed.

Stewart Wingate, Gatwick CEO said: “These results represent the widespread view of people from across our local communities and we are encouraged by their support for our expansion plans. We are not complacent however and we recognise that our plans would have an impact on many residents.

“We are determined to do everything we can to minimise the impacts and maximise the benefits for local people. After listening carefully to what local people told us during the public consultation, we designed a £250 million package of pledges designed to tackle many of the concerns that were raised.”

He said these included £46.5m to help councils deliver essential community infrastructure and a council tax initiative where homes most affected by noise from expansion receive annual compensation equivalent to Band A council tax - currently £1,000.