A further study will now take place to look into issues such as planning consent and air quality.
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In July, the Davies Commission concluded that a third runway at Heathrow was the best option – if a string of measures were put in place to deal with noise and pollution – but left open the option of expanding capacity at Gatwick instead. “Please get off the fixation of a third runway because it could be a second runway at Gatwick”.
“The cost of sufficiently improving surface access to avoid unacceptable congestion and pollution would be so high as to make airport expansion unaffordable”.
Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith has denied having conversations with ministers about delaying a decision to expand Heathrow in order to protect his campaign for London mayor.
The delay comes amid mounting pressure from business leaders to make progress on the airport’s expansion.
We will fight tooth and nail any attempts to resurrect Gatwick, whose flawed and costly proposal was left dead and buried by the Airports Commission.
“We are delighted that the Government has accepted the case for expansion and the full shortlist originally drawn up by the Airports Commission”, says Lowe “There can be no doubt that expansion at Heathrow is in the best economic interests of the entire country and our extended runway is cheaper, simpler and less disruptive than Heathrow Airport’s own third runway scheme”.
Plenty of business and union leaders will be frustrated at yet another delay to the airports’ decision.
Matthew Samuel-Camps, partner and chief executive office at property consultant Vail Williams, also highlighted the government’s procrastination, which he said must stop. But he’ll be tied up with the London mayoral election, which is to be held on 5 May 2016.
“We have always maintained that this decision is about balancing the economy and the environment”. The AOA supports all airports that wish to grow and believes in making best use of existing capacity at United Kingdom airports.
“This will include a package for local communities to include compensation, maximising local economic opportunities through new jobs and apprenticeships, and measures to tackle noise”.
“We have to ask now, what was the point of the Commission if the government still fails to act?”
Business groups including the CBI, EFF and BCC all widely criticised the move and said further delays will damage the economy and leave Britain further behind on airport capacity.
When in opposition in 2009, Cameron opposed adding a third runway to Heathrow.
In comments that will raise fears of further delays, Patrick McLoughlin said the government would “hopefully” make a choice next year but refused to go further.
The UK Government has agreed with the Airports Commission’s shortlist of options for airport expansion and the need for more runway capacity in the south-east by 2030.
Gatwick stands ready to deliver it sooner, at a lower public expense and without the damaging impact of Heathrow expansion.
Cameron’s critics suspect he wants to delay the decision to boost the chances of Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith in London’s May mayoral election.
Mr Goldsmith, meanwhile, welcomed the announcement of the delay as “good news” for the capital. It is hard to see how a new runway would contribute to this. Say no to Heathrow…
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“We won’t pay for it and we most certainly won’t pre-fund the construction of any new infrastructure”, he said.
