The government is backing the expansion of Heathrow Airport with a third runway, and 2 different schemes have been put forward for consideration.
Our position
The council remains firmly opposed to any airport expansion. Both proposals would devastate local communities, put thousands of homes at risk, and worsen noise and air pollution in areas where residents and businesses are already significantly affected.
We have written to the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander MP, urging her to review the government’s approach to assessing 2 competing Heathrow expansion proposals at the same time, as it will create confusion, uncertainty, and result in a flawed public engagement process.
Our role
The construction of a third runway at Heathrow is classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, so the decision will be made by the Secretary of State for Transport, advised by the Planning Inspectorate acting as the Examining Authority.
Our role, as an interested party, is to robustly represent our communities and seek the strongest possible mitigation.
Important: The council is not the decision maker and cannot control how the engagement process is structured or run.
