Overview
- Heathrow told ministers over the weekend that the original 2035 target is no longer achievable and is now aiming for the runway to open in 2039.
- The airport says it still plans to seek planning permission by 2029 and expects the runway to be operational within ten years of approval.
- The announcement has highlighted a split inside government with Chancellor John Healey defending the economic case while Prime Minister Andy Burnham has signalled caution and emphasised Londoners' views.
- The project faces procedural hurdles because there is no live planning application, the Department for Transport calls the original timeline ambitious, and the Climate Change Committee has said expansion should not proceed unless aviation emissions are addressed.
- Heathrow and supporters say the scheme would be privately financed, create about 100,000–108,000 jobs and unlock billions in investment, but the plan also requires major local works such as moving the M25 and risks legal challenges and higher flight costs if industry‑wide emissions measures are imposed.