Heathrow expansion passes first delivery milestone

The UK government's National Policy Statement (NPS) on expansion has been welcomed by Heathrow Airport as being the first delivery milestone for a third runway at the UK hub.

There will now be 16 weeks of public consultation across the country on the draft NPS, after which a final version will be submitted to parliament for a vote, expected to take place near the end of this year.

Emma Gilthorpe, Heathrow executive director for expansion, said the launch is a key milestone as the airport looks to expand.

“We look forward to working with the Government, our local communities and our airlines throughout this consultation period to ensure Heathrow expansion is affordable and benefits all of Britain,” she explained.

Consultation

All stakeholders and those with an interest in the project are being encouraged to visit the Department for Transport’s website to find out how they can play a part in the consultation process.

Later this summer and in addition to the Government’s NPS consultation, Heathrow will launch its own Phase 1 consultation. This will be aimed at gathering further feedback and opinion on various options for the Northwest Runway Scheme.

The actual planning policy that will apply to a third runway at Heathrow will be decided on when the NPS has been designated by parliament and clear testing processes are set out.

Excellent news

Len McCluskey, the general secretary of the union Unite, has said the expansion will boost Heathrow’s reputation as a leading global hub.

He added that the airport’s continued development will support the economy in the aftermath of Brexit, while also strengthening ties to countires all over the globe.

A submission of a final proposal is expected to go before the Planning Inspectorate in the summer of 2019 as part of an application for a Development Consent Order.

If you’re thinking of travelling abroad this year, be sure to organise your Family Travel Insurance in advance.

Date Created: 03/02/2017