The U.K. government gave its provisional backing Thursday to the creation of a second runway at Gatwick Airport outside London if certain improvements were met, including on noise reduction — a move that has been met with incredulity from environmental campaigners.

Britain is set to approve the expansion of Gatwick Airport, the government's transport minister said on Thursday, after she issued a "minded to approve" letter but said the deadline for a final decision would be extended to Oct.

Gatwick has said the second runway expansion would allow around 100,000 more flights per year and create 14,000 jobs.

The UK gave its tentative backing to a plan to expand London’s Gatwick airport, as the Labour government insisted it can push ahead with major infrastructure projects while still meeting its environmental commitments.

Gatwick's plans involve bringing its emergency runway into routine use, enabling it to massively increase capacity.

Airport bosses say the upgraded emergency runway project could start this year if approved and be operational by the end of the decade

Gatwick has until 24 April to respond to demands for it to include measures, such as noise mitigation and having a proportion of passengers travelling to the airport via public transport, in its overall plans before a final decision will be made in October.

Sir Sadiq Khan has said a second runway at Gatwick “begs the question” over the need for a third runway at Heathrow.

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.

The U.K. government on Thursday provided provisional approval to the creation of a second runway at Gatwick Airport outside London if certain improvements to the plan were met, including on noise reduction.