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

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.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has “set out a path to approving” Gatwick Airport’s expansion project, a Government source has said.This comes after the Planning Inspectorate initially rejected the West Sussex airport’s application to bring its emergency runway into routine use.

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.

London-Gatwick Airport has welcomed the UK government’s response to its second runway application despite its decision to extend the process.

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.

Heidi Alexander said the Planning Inspectorate recommended she approves an alternative development consent order application.

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In a written statement to MPs, Heidi Alexander backed the broad principle of allowing the emergency runway to be brought into routine use.