Heathrow’s third runway plans will be fast-tracked so Britain can “experience the benefits sooner”, ministers said as they launched a key part of the government process required for the airport’s expansion.
The transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, said work had now started on a new airports national policy statement (ANPS), allowing a final decision by the end of this parliament to “realise the government’s ambition” of a runway by 2035.
She said new environmental and climate obligations meant an updated ANPS was necessary, but pledged it would be published for consultation by summer 2026.
The updated policy statement will include Labour’s four key tests for proposed airport expansion – on climate, noise, air quality and economic growth – and be consistent with net zero commitments, the Department for Transport (DfT) said.
Heathrow and the Arora Group, which submitted an alternative runway proposal, have been asked to provide additional details before a single scheme is selected in November.
Alexander said: “Today is a critical building block which will advance plans for the delivery of a third runway at Heathrow meaning people can start to experience the full benefits sooner. Enabling Heathrow expansion will drive economic growth and create jobs across the country.”
The announcement follows recent decisions to allow two other London airports, Luton and Gatwick, to grow substantially.
Heathrow’s privately financed third runway and associated airport improvements are expected to cost almost £50bn. The DfT said the scheme should have no cost to the taxpayer, and added that sustainable aviation fuel – the benefits and supply of which remain in doubt – would be essential to ensure a bigger Heathrow “contributes to the UK meeting its climate targets”.
The Heathrow chief executive, Thomas Woldbye, said its plan was “the only option that can be approved by 2029 and be up and running within a decade”, and urged the government to act swiftly “so we can move from talking to building and start investing billions of private money into our supply chain across the whole of the UK”.
Aviation and business groups welcomed the news. The British Chambers of Commerce said the third runway would “boost trade, attract international investment, improve connectivity, and deliver wide-ranging benefits for the economy”.
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But Ruth Cadbury, the Commons transport committee chair, said the government had yet to explain how Heathrow expansion squared with legally binding climate targets, adding: “It’s like trying to slow the car by hitting the gas, and is a cause for serious concern.”
Paul McGuinness, the chair of the No 3rd Runway Coalition, said the proposed expansion was “stubbornly misguided, with the government still unable to demonstrate an economic case or capacity requirement for a third runway”.
The Green party’s transport spokesperson, Siân Berry, said the government was “once again putting the needs of the most wealthy frequent flyers far above the needs of people on the ground”.
