Overview
- Heathrow Airport Ltd’s longer north‑west runway was named the preferred scheme, with Surinder Arora’s shorter, cheaper alternative rejected though a different project promoter could still be chosen later.
- The plan requires rerouting the M25 in a new tunnel about 130 metres to the west at an estimated £1.5bn, along with the compulsory purchase and demolition of hundreds of homes near the airport.
- Core expansion costs are put at about £33bn for the runway and new terminals within a wider £49bn investment, with Heathrow and ministers saying the project will be privately financed and recovered through airline charges.
- Capacity projections include up to 150 million passengers a year and roughly 756,000 annual flights, with ministers citing more than 100,000 jobs linked to the expansion if it proceeds.
- Next steps include updating the Airports National Policy Statement, a public consultation by mid‑2026, and a planning decision targeted by 2029, while Heathrow is seeking CAA and government regulatory clarity on early cost recovery by mid‑December; the scheme must meet climate, air quality and noise tests including input from the Climate Change Committee.