The Government has launched a public consultation on the framework for future planning decisions on a third runway at Heathrow, making another step towards a final planning decision in 2029. The consultation, running for over 10 weeks until the end of August, invites businesses, communities, and the public to help shape the project.
Any expansion scheme will be tested against four key areas - economic growth, climate targets, air quality, and noise - with the Government setting out that a clear strategy on jobs and growth, compliance with legally binding climate targets, and no breach of air quality or noise limits will all be required. Heathrow Airport Limited's own proposal, selected last November to inform the policy statement, includes a £33bn full-length runway that would require the M25 to be rerouted through a tunnel beneath it.
Ministers say an expanded Heathrow could support more than 60,000 new local jobs and deliver up to £42bn in economic benefits, with up to 40% of that growth expected to land outside London and the South-East. The process has moved three years faster than the previous national policy statement review in 2018, with the Climate Change Committee now being formally consulted on how expansion can align with the UK's net zero framework.