Airports Commission’s recommendation due this summer

Terry Farrell has unveiled new images of his proposal for an expanded Gatwick Airport.

The scheme involved not so much a new runway but an entirely new airport, he said.

The move comes as the government’s Airports Commission is due to make its final recommendation on how to increase capacity in south-east England.

The three options under consideration are a new runway at Gatwick, where work has been masterplanned by Farrells; a third runway at Heathrow; or extending the northern runway at Heathrow.

Farrell is part of a major marketing exercise by Gatwick supporters who argue it would be quicker and cheaper to build at Gatwick and that fewer homes would be blighted by aircraft noise.

Terry Farrell said: “Our vision for Gatwick is that it becomes the world’s most efficient two-runway airport – flexible and responsive to meet the changing needs of passengers and airlines.

“With an elegant and simple terminal layout, we have designed a direct and straightforward route from kerbside to plane, creating a seamless passenger experience.”

Queues had been designed out and level changes in the terminal buildings minimised, he claimed.

“By providing a second runway at Gatwick we will create a much more balanced system of infrastructure, and capitalise on the integrated connectivity we already have in London,” he said.

“It will positively affect the whole of the UK’s infrastructure, and build on the power of networks. A second runway would turbo-charge economic growth in the south-east and do for south London what the Olympics did for east London.”