London Gatwick Airport expansion is expected to get a green light today which would boost its capacity by 30 million more passengers a year. The UK’s second-biggest airport is expected to welcome a decision from the Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander this morning to bring its emergency runway into permanent use.

The U.K. government has provided provisional approval to the creation of a second runway at Gatwick Airport outside London.

Britain is inclined to approve the expansion of its second largest airport Gatwick, the government said on Thursday, over objections from environmentalists and during a push on infrastructure to drive economic growth.

Following Rachel Reeves’ announcement last month that confirmed the government’s support for a third runway at Heathrow, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has today said she is ‘minded to approve’ Gatwick’s plans for a second runway.

London Gatwick Airport's plans to expand have been boosted by a UK minister's decision to support the scheme. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander announced she was "minded to approve" the expansion if the project was adjusted.

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Gatwick has until 24 April to respond to demands for it to include measures, such as noise mitigation and having a proportion of passengers travelling to the airport via public transport, in its overall plans before a final decision will be made in October.

The UK gave its tentative backing to a plan to expand London’s Gatwick airport, as the Labour government insisted it can push ahead with major infrastructure projects while still meeting its environmental commitments.

The U.K. government has provided provisional approval to the creation of a second runway at Gatwick Airport outside London