Overview
- At the Conservative conference in Birmingham this week Shadow Chancellor Andrew Griffith vowed a future Tory government would “do whatever it takes” to back a third runway and legislate to sweep away planning obstacles.
- Heathrow’s management says it aims for planning consent by 2029 and estimates the runway would open around 2039, but independent observers and rival bidders question that timetable and technical deliverability.
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham has kept an open mind and said the decision should reflect the consultation and the views of Londoners, and Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander reiterated that position at a recent event.
- Environmental groups and the Climate Change Committee warn expansion conflicts with net-zero goals and local impacts, and campaigners and some Conservative mayoral hopefuls have voiced opposition or scepticism.
- If pursued, the plan would require major local works such as M25 changes, heavy private investment and the resolution of likely legal challenges, with significant effects for jobs, housing and west London communities.