Businesses within Gatwick Airport’s local region are set to be boosted through the airport’s plans to provide new, targeted business opportunities, should its Northern Runway plans be successful.
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Local businesses can register their interest in working with Gatwick as a supplier and sign up to future newsletters, via a simple form on the airport’s website. This comes as Gatwick develops a new strategy to ensure the airport’s procurement and supply chain spending targets businesses based in the region building on the £100 million spent across the region in 2019.
Small and medium-sized businesses can register to provide Gatwick and its supply chain with a range of services, including construction, facilities management, IT projects, workwear, utilities, distribution and HR services, among many others, and must be based within RH, BN, CR, KT, TN or GU postcodes.
Richard Lennard, Economic Partnerships Manager, Gatwick Airport said: “Gatwick has been a major driver for the local and regional economy for several decades, as well as supporting the wider UK economy. We plan to maximise the benefits we provide for local people, communities and businesses through the development of a range of supply chain initiatives that aim to ensure the airport’s procurement and supply chain spending targets businesses based in the region.”
Jeff Alexander, Chief Executive, Gatwick Diamond Initiative said: “Today’s announcement provides a significant opportunity for smaller businesses across our region to benefit from access to Gatwick’s supply chain. Businesses that have previously worked within the Gatwick supply chain have flourished and we welcome Gatwick opening up this opportunity for more businesses to be able to participate as our economy rebuilds following the pandemic.”
In September, Gatwick launched its public consultation into plans to bring its Northern Runway into routine use alongside its Main Runway, enabling the airport to significantly increase its capacity by 2038.
As part of its Northern Runway plans, Gatwick has developed an Outline Employment, Skills and Business Strategy which, among other things, details initiatives to use its procurement process to provide as many opportunities as possible for local businesses to be included in the airport’s supply chains, as well as encouraging investment in local businesses.
Alongside supporting local businesses, Gatwick expects to generate 18,400 new jobs if its Northern Runway plans are successful, providing a further boost to the regional economy.
Gatwick has started a 12 week public consultation on the Northern Runway plans, which closes on 1 December. Full consultation materials are available on the www.gatwickairport.com/futureplans web pages along with a virtual exhibition and an option to book a telephone surgery with project experts or to request a virtual briefing for local stakeholder groups. ■