Judicial Reviews of the Secretary of State for Transport’s Decision to Grant a Development Consent Order for the Northern Runway Project at Gatwick Airport Refused

Judgment was handed down today by Mould J in R (on the application of Peter Barclay) v Secretary of State for Transport and Another and R (on the application of CAGNE) v Secretary of State for Transport and Another [2026] EWHC 1556 (Admin) dismissing the claims. These are two linked judicial reviews challenging the decision of the Secretary of State for Transport to grant Gatwick Airport Limited a development consent order for the Northern Runway Project at Gatwick Airport. Six members of 39 Essex Chambers were involved representing three parties.

The case was heard over four days. The case raises issues concerned with the interpretation of the Airports National Policy Statement, the approach to assessing and considering greenhouse gas emissions and climate change effects, the evidencing and consideration of the economic effects of the development proposed, and the approach to noise policy and improvements in aircraft noise.

A link to the judgment can be found here.

Nigel Pleming KC, Rose Grogan KC, and Daniel Kozelko represented the Secretary of State for Transport (instructed by the Government Legal Department), James Strachan KC and Victoria Hutton represented Gatwick Airport Limited (instructed by Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer), and Gethin Thomas, led by Alex Goodman KC, represented the First Claimant (Mr Peter Barclay, instructed by Goodenough Ring Solicitors).