Protesters do not want Gatwick to be a reserve option

It was announced in December by the government that expansion of the West Sussex airport would not take place for another 15 years with Stansted chosen as the preferred site for a new runway.

Heathrow was also put forward as an option for expansion as long as pollution levels meet European standards - with Gatwick kept as the reserve option.

West Sussex County Council is now calling for Gatwick to be completely dropped as a potential site for a new runway.

'Remove all doubts'

Lieutenant Colonel Tex Pemberton, West Sussex County Council member for highways and transport, said he was determined Gatwick should not remain the government's long term reserve.

"We want to see this airport right out of the frame to remove the blight and uncertainty that still remains.

"When I led a delegation to the Department of Transport to meet the minister, Tony McNulty, we were promised the White Paper would remove all doubts about Gatwick's future - but this is precisely what it has not done."

The White Paper, published in December, confirmed the government would honour a legal agreement with the council which prevents a second runway being built at Gatwick before 2019.

Colonel Pemberton plans to write jointly with Surrey County Council to Mr McNulty asking when a final decision about Heathrow will be made.

They will also be asking for confirmation that if the Heathrow option goes ahead, Gatwick will not be held in reserve.