Despite upset among Labour MPs, supporters, and the London Mayor, the Government has confirmed that the plans for constructing a third runway at London Heathrow Airport have been greenlit by all relevant bodies. This means that construction could begin immediately with the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, being optimistic that it could be ready for use by 2035.
Following a speech delivered by the Chancellor to business leaders, the Government announced support for the airport’s expansion as a key economic benefit and a “game-changer” for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). This comes as part of a constant push from Reeves to “leave no stone unturned” in the search for economic growth.
The government claims that it will bring 100,000 jobs and significant growth in GDP by 2050, but questions were raised regarding the integrity of the evidence used. As confirmed to The Observer, the Frontier Economics Consultancy group was commissioned by Heathrow Airport itself to conduct research, despite claiming to be independent. Some headlines, however, appear optimistic as The Daily Mirror commends the “Reeves Revolution” which will bring up to £80bn to the economy. The Tories have also backed the Government’s plans, albeit with Badenoch suggesting that they were stolen from her party.
Various climate groups have criticised the neglect of the legally binding commitment to aim for net zero by 2050, labelling the expansion as “dystopian”. Meanwhile, Reeves continues her pledges to “stop blockers getting in the way of development”, leaving the Government open to supporting the expansion of other major infrastructure projects, such as Luton and Gatwick Airport in the near future.
Moreover, the Climate Crisis Website Carbon Brief does not believe the criticism of SAFs has addressed how increased flight numbers would reduce any effects of minorly decreased emissions per flight. Labour’s green agenda appears stuck in a grey area as industrial expansion projects pose a “major threat” to the Government’s climate goals thus slowing down progress for a net-zero future.
This is already impacting local communities, where plans for housing demolition are already taking place in the surrounding villages, such as Harmondsworth, which is increasingly populated with “Stop Heathrow Expansion” signs.
With the UK’s last full-length runway being built in the 1940s, moving airspace modernisation is on the agenda of Governments and stakeholders. Despite this, the turbulence involved at Heathrow poses new difficulties for questions of scrutiny, climate goal adherence and the financial agenda.
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