Judges rule that plan for third runway is unlawful

● North business leaders call for alternative measures for region

Plans to build a third runway at Heathrow, which would bring about “enormous opportunities for growth” for north and north-east firms, have been left hanging in the balance following a court ruling.

Leading judges yesterday ruled the government must reconsider its support for the move because of the environmental impact.

The Court of Appeal concluded the transport secretary failed to consider the government’s commitments to tackling climate change when setting out support for the project.

The appeal was brought by a group of councils in London affected by the expansion, environmental charities including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and Plan B, and London mayor Sadiq Khan.

Campaigners hailed the ruling as a victory, saying it had “killed off ” plans for a third runway for good and that the project is now “politically unacceptable”.

In 2018, chiefs at Aberdeen International Airport and the 11 airports in the Highlands banded together to stress the benefits the proposal could have for the region.

In a letter to MPs, they said a third runway would “mean more of Scotland’s businesses, from salmon

VICTORY: Campaigners cheer outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London after the Court of Appeal delivers its verdict on the runway plans

farmers to whisky distillers, could reach out and trade with the world”.

The letter stated: “A new runway at Heathrow will mean enormous opportunities for growth, for people and businesses in every corner of Scotland.”

Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce had also supported the project, and the organisation last night called for the government to enact

alternative measures to ensure the north-east can benefit from improved connectivity.

Chief executive, Russell Borthwick, said: “We fully understand the reasons for the decision on the proposed Heathrow expansion. From the perspective of the business community, the question has to be what is the government going to do instead to ensure

connectivity for places like the north-east of Scotland to the rest of the world is not limited – and to help regions meet their economic potential?”

David Richardson, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Highlands and islands development manager, said: “The decision will have a knock-on effect in the north.

“The world is becoming

a more connected place and anything that limits that connectivity is not optimising business.”

A spokesman for Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd said: “Heathrow has promised to deliver the expansion in the right way and has said it will appeal the court’s decision. We await with interest to see how it can work with the government to solve the issue.”

London mayor Sadiq Khan