Cleared for take-off, the new £14bn third runway at Heathrow
A plane passes over homes bordering Heathrow. Inset, an anti-expansion sign homes that will be demolished, plus moving costs.
Mr Grayling also outlined a new six-and-a-half hour ban on scheduled night flights and also pledged: “We will grant development consent only if we are satisfied that a new runway would not impact the UK’s compliance with air quality obligations.”
MPs on all sides backed the expansion, but Labour frontbench spokesman Andy McDonald reserved judgment, saying the plans must pass key tests. And Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn spelt out noise, pollution and economic considerations, as well as noting that two existing airports – Stansted and Luton – were under capacity.
Prominent Tories also joined Lib Dem and Green protests. Ex-transport secretary Justine Greening said the decision was “not only wrong for the UK and its competitiveness, it is wrong for the London communities who will be blighted by the pollution from an expanded Heathrow”.
Heathrow’s owners include Spain’s Ferrovial. Tory MP and environmentalist Zac Goldsmith, who resigned his west London seat in 2016 over the expansion plan, said it would breach climate change obligations and was a “blank cheque being given to a foreignowned multinational”.
There are fears other transport projects could lose out to the Heathrow schemes. Simon Dudley, Tory leader of Mrs May’s local Windsor and Maidenhead council, said his authority was ready to join three others considering legal action if concerns were not “satisfactorily addressed”.