Gatwick Airport has appointed the world renowned architect Sir Terry Farrell to advise on plans to provide additional runway capacity at the Sussex site. Sir Terry has worked on delivering major transport infrastructure such as Korea’s Incheon airport and stations on the Guangzhou high speed railway in China.

Gatwick is promoting the idea that London’s future aviation demand is best served by a trio of existing airports, each with two runways. This would mean building an additional runway at both Gatwick and Stansted, to support Heathrow.

Sir Terry and his architect planning company Farrells will carry out assessments looking at the impact on London of having a series of competing airports rather than one major hub.

“The ‘constellation approach’ of keeping Heathrow open while building additional runways at Gatwick and Stansted transforms the debate away from the over engineered and unnecessary idea of a mega hub at Heathrow or to the east of London,” Sir Terry said.

Gatwick’s chief executive Stewart Wingate added: “Sir Terry has unrivaled experience and a unique insight into the aviation debate and the issues which the Airports Commission will have to consider.”

Today (Wednesday) the Airports Commission is holding a public evidence session in London, where options for providing additional capacity in the South East are being discussed. The sessions are being chaired by Sir Howard Davies and will help to inform his forthcoming report into the future of Britain’s aviation capacity.

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