London Heathrow Airport has revealed plans to hold a further public consultation to finalize its expansion proposals.
Prompted by the recent Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) decision to cap early spending, a new eight-week consultation will run from April through to June 2020.
Capping spending has prolonged the construction period of a new third runway and means Heathrow will need to undertake refreshed modeling of key aspects of the plan – including public transportation to and from the airport – to demonstrate that Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) targets can be met.
The consultation will ensure that communities can review and provide feedback on the new timeline. Heathrow will be writing to local authorities in the coming weeks with more information, offering them the opportunity to respond to its approach to consultation. Responses will feed into the final planning application, to be submitted to the UK’s Planning Inspectorate toward the end of 2020.
Heathrow’s submission to the Planning Inspectorate will detail how the airport will expand and connect all of Britain to global growth, while meeting the requirements of the ANPS. It will also restate Heathrow’s commitment to ensuring an expanded Heathrow meets strict environmental targets, delivers tens of thousands of new high-skilled jobs and honors the airport’s commitments to local communities.
If Heathrow’s plans are approved by the Secretary of State on the recommendation of the Planning Inspectorate, the third runway is expected to open between early 2028 and late 2029.
Heathrow’s executive director for expansion, Emma Gilthorpe, said, “We are keen to ensure our plans continue to be supported and shaped by local people as we prepare to deliver the economic boost Britain needs.”
In the coming weeks, Heathrow will announce dates and locations for consultation events.