I have another matter on which I wish to seek advice about the DCO process. Having read the Inspectorate’s guidance it is not clear what remedies are available to interested parties to raise issues where it is believed the pre-application consultation material was inaccurate and misleading which could affect the views expressed at the pre-application consultation stage and therefore skew the results of the consultation exercise. There is growing concern amongst some GATCOM members about the supporting evidence that Gatwick Airport Limited provided in relation to the carbon cost values used to demonstrate the economic benefits of the Northern Runway Scheme. Gatwick’s calculations were based on the Government’s old carbon cost values and not the new cost values issued a few days prior to the launch of Gatwick’s consultation. I fully appreciate that you are not in a position to comment on the evidence provided to date and I accept that it is not unusual over the course of preparing a submission of an application, particularly for complex/large scale development projects, for circumstances and evidence to change. Attached is a recent letter the Chairman wrote to a GATCOM member in response to concerns they had raised as way of background to my advice request from the Inspectorate. The GATCOM Chairman has since been asked by a few members to have an opportunity to discuss this matter at a GATCOM meeting to help build an understanding of the process and of the remedies available to correct information/evidence and seek views on changed circumstances prior to the submission of the application. We have an item on the agenda for the GATCOM meeting on 28 April 2022 for members to share their concerns. It would be helpful therefore if you could provide advice on the mechanisms available for stakeholders and the public, and at what stage in the process, where concerns of this nature can be raised and addressed.

Please see attached.