4th October 2018
The legal battle over the government's decision to approve the
construction of a third runway at Heathrow Airport will proceed, after the High
Court granted permission for five legal challenges against expanding the
airport to proceed to full hearings.
Justice Holgate confirmed the cases lodged by five different
parties - including environmental campaigners and a group of Councils around
the airport will be heard over 10 days
in March 2019.
Critics argue Heathrow expansion is incompatible with the UK's
long-term climate targets and is incompatible with statutory carbon budgets, in
addition to leading to increased local noise and air pollution upon a growing
population.
Proponents of Heathrow Airport expansion, however, argue the
project is necessary for boosting jobs and growth, and that improvements in
aviation technology will make the new runway compatible with long term carbon
and air quality targets.
Many legal challenge supporters contend that immensely increased
activity related to 54% more flights will inevitably escalate surface transport
congestion, exacerbate the existing housing crisis and escalate the costs of
scarce business premises to totally uneconomic and unsustainable levels.
The five parties
challenging the UK government's decision this summer to grant permission for a
third Heathrow runway at the High Court are: a consortium including the local
authorities of Hillingdon, Hammersmith & Fulham, Richmond, Wandsworth and
Windsor & Maidenhead, Greenpeace, and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan; Heathrow
Hub Limited - promoters of a rival scheme to expand Heathrow; Friends of the
Earth; Plan B, an environmental campaign group; and Neil Spurrier, a Twickenham
resident.
