A BITTER and protracted legal and political battle lies ahead following the British government’s decision to approve a third runway for Heathrow Airport.
As lawyers explored possible options for a legal challenge to the £9 billion expansion and the completion of the new 7,200ft runway by 2019/20, the opposition Conservatives confirmed that they would reverse the decision should they win the next general election.
Following a tough internal cabinet debate in which “environment” ministers Ed Miliband and Hilary Benn were seen to lose the argument, prime minister Gordon Brown said it had always been the government’s desire to “protect the economic future” of Britain “while at the same time meeting the very tough environmental conditions that we have set ourselves for noise and pollution and for climate change”.
Transport secretary Geoff Hoon also insisted that strict targets on noise and air quality – with new “green slots” to be used only by the “cleanest planes” – would result in “the toughest climate change regime for aviation of any country in the world”.
Environmental campaigners, however, accused the government of “shooting itself in the foot” and “firing several torpedoes” towards its declared ambitions for enhanced international agreements on emissions, while actor and campaigner Emma Thompson accused ministers of “an egregious piece of hypocrisy”.
The chairman of the Environment Agency, Lord (Chris) Smith, meanwhile, said the environmental impact of the development would be “negative” and suggested ministers might be making “unrealistic promises” because air quality limits were already at breaking point with the existing pattern of traffic at Heathrow.
Labour MP John McDonnell – whose constituency borders Sipson, where hundreds of homes will be demolished to make way for the new runway and sixth terminal – was suspended from the House of Commons after protesting that MPs would not be allowed to vote on the decision.
Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers, meanwhile, pronounced yesterday “a bleak day for our environment”, while signalling that the issue would be fought over in the election.
“A third runway at Heathrow would inflict devastating damage to the environment and to the quality of life of millions of people,” she told MPs: “We need to make Heathrow better, not bigger. If Gordon Brown won’t do that, it’s time for them to call a general election so this country can elect a Conservative government that will stop this environmental disaster from going ahead.”
Airline operators, the CBI and the Unite union welcomed the government decision, which is expected to lead to the creation of 65,000 jobs.