Gatwick Airport has awarded framework contracts to Arup, Atkins and Jacobs for supporting the airport's development over the next five years. The consultants will work with Gatwick on carrying out capacity assessments, simulation modelling and facility planning as it works out how best to continue with its expansion plans to stay competitive while accommodating passenger growth. The airport is already about half way through a £2.5 billion investment programme, which is due to continue, with £240 million expected to be spent in the coming year.

Arup, Atkins and Jacobs were selected from a competitive procurement process because they closely matched the airport’s criteria, which looked at experience and expertise in specialist planning services such as capacity analysis and simulation modelling, the airport's statement said.

Gatwick's Airport Planning Framework covers the entire range of airport infrastructure, including terminals, aprons, airfield and all commercial, ancillary and support functions including landside roads and forecourts.   

Gatwick’s newly appointed chief planning officer, Tim Norwood, said: “The award of this framework sends a clear message that Gatwick is committed to continued growth, despite the constraints of the single runway and our existing infrastructure.  We will always look for clever ways to improve passenger processes while being focussed on what people want, and it’s important to work with specialists in this field to understand some of the critical flows of the airport”.