British ministers expected to approve new runway at Heathrow airport
▶ The long-contested expansion plans for Europe’s busiest airport have attracted significant opposition
Senior government British ministers are expected to approve a new runway at London’s Heathrow airport, paving the way for MPs to vote on the issue later this month.
Heathrow is Europe’s busiest airport but is now at full capacity. In the past, plans to expand the airport faced opposition from residents groups, environmentalists and some politicians, but the current £14 billion (Dh68.5bn) expansion plan is likely to get the goahead.
That would end almost half a century of indecision on how and where to add airport capacity in densely populated southeast England. The new runway will be the first full-length runway to be built in the London area in 70 years.
The BBC reported that the cabinet was yesterday expected to back the plan, after which the transport minister Chris Grayling will make a statement in parliament, with a vote taking place within 21 days.
An independent commission recommended Heathrow as the site for a new runway in 2015, saying that adding capacity there would bring the greatest economic benefits – government has based its policy on these findings.
Business leaders and some politicians have argued that a bigger Heathrow is even more important since Britain voted to leave the European Union because, they believe, the expanded airport will improve trade links and boost economic growth.
The approval is expected despite high-profile opposition from MPs including foreign minister Boris Johnson, as polling by ComRes shows that a majority of politicians intend to vote in favour of expansion.
Heathrow, owned by Ferrovial, Qatar Investment Authority and China Investment Corporation among others, will then have to secure planning permission, with construction likely to start in 2021 and the new runway expected to be operational by 2026.
Heathrow last came close to expansion in 2010 but a change in government led to permission being withdrawn, and the current plan could still face legal challenges.
Opponents of expansion claim that a bigger Heathrow will cause more noise and air pollution, issues that the government’s policy will try to address by imposing conditions on the airport, such as banning some night flights.