Latest news
Legal challenge to Heathrow expansion
A government decision to approve the expansion of London's Heathrow Airport has gone before the High Court after opponents of the scheme mounted a legal challenge.
Plans for the construction of a third runway was given the green light in January 2009 by then-transport secretary Geoff Hoon, although lawyers for a coalition of organisations fighting the project claim that the consultation process was "fundamentally flawed". The coalition - comprising local authorities, residents' groups and green groups - also claim that the decision will contravene the UK's overall targets for tackling climate change.
Ray Puddifoot, leader of the London Borough of Hillingdon - one of six councils opposed to the scheme, said: "We've had no choice but to go to court to sort out the mess left behind by a decision that was little more than a quick fix. From the moment Geoff Hoon announced his decision to the House it has steadily unravelled. "While Hoon was saying that expansion would be limited to a half-used runway because of climate change concerns, the civil servants now say that it is not dependent on reductions in carbon emissions and or so-called greener planes. If it's only half a runway then that demolishes the economic case."
If successful in the legal challenge, it is likely that the government will be forced to undertake a new consultation before making a fresh decision on the scheme, casting doubt over the Heathrow expansion proposals. The Conservative Party, which is currently ahead in the opinion polls, has already pledged to scrap plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport ahead of the forthcoming General Election.