HEATHROW AIRPORT APPROVAL DUE

The government is due to announce approval of a controversial plan to build a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

Ministers are set to confirm it to MPs at 1230 GMT, despite opposition from residents, environmentalists and MPs.

Leading business and union figures back the project, saying it will create jobs and boost the UK's competitiveness.

The Tories said a third runway would be an "environmental disaster" and pledged to stop it happening if elected.

The government has long argued, in principle, that it is in favour of the scheme, subject to noise and air pollution limits, and undertakings about access and traffic congestion.

Rail link

There has been deep unease within Labour ranks about the decision, with several cabinet members reported to be unconvinced about the project and more than 50 MPs openly opposed.

Alongside the commitment to a new runway, Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon is expected to announce increased investment in public transport, including the possibility of new high-speed rail links from the airport.

In an effort to appease its critics the government is expected to announce new safeguards for limiting emissions with airlines using the new runway required to use the newest, least polluting aircraft.
Asked about the decision at a press conference in Berlin, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said announcements had to be made first in the House of Commons.

But he added: "It is always our desire to make sure we protect the economic future of the country while, at the same time, meeting the very tough environmental conditions we have set ourselves for both noise pollution and climate change and I think you will see that reflected in the statement."
Virgin Atlantic's Paul Charles told BBC Radio 5 Live that if there was no third runway "Britain's economy will suffer. Investors will walk out, they won't invest here, jobs won't be created and people will go to Europe instead".

And Lady Valentine, who runs business group London First told the BBC that when Britain emerged from recession, it would need a modernised Heathrow more than ever.

But backbench Labour MP John McDonnell, whose constituency includes the airport, said the fight against the expansion was only just beginning and opponents would "use every mechanism possible" including legal challenges, to stop the runway going ahead.

Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers told BBC Radio 4's Today that approval of the scheme would show Gordon Brown was "deaf to the concerns of his own party and millions of people living under the flight path".

Planning process

She said any government environmental promises would be shown "to not be worth the paper they are written on" and warned anyone getting involved in the process that her party would cancel the project if they win the next general election.

The Liberal Democrats also oppose the third runway and have urged ministers to invest in high-speed rail links instead.

Their spokeswoman, Susan Kramer, told the BBC the arguments in favour of expansion were "glib" and south west London would become a "pretty miserable" place to live.

"There's this conventional wisdom amongst business that you must grow the airport ... it just isn't held up by the reality. Actually Heathrow has been serving fewer destinations over the last ten years. More companies than ever have chosen to headquarter in London, they need sufficient flights, they need an efficient airport, they don't need one in some sort of growth competition."

Asked about the decision on Wednesday, the prime minister declined to guarantee MPs a vote on the issue.
Should the government give the go-ahead, he said there would be a debate in Parliament and that the scheme would have to be granted planning permission.

This is likely to be a lengthy process, with work on a new runway unlikely to start until 2015.

Protests have been growing in anticipation of a decision, which was due to be made in December but was delayed amid reports of divisions within government over the issue.

About 700 homes will have to be demolished to make way for the runway, which will increase the number of flights using Heathrow from about 480,000 a year now to 702,000 by 2030.

'At risk'

Campaigners have bought some land earmarked for the construction of the runway in an effort to frustrate the expansion plans.

Environmental campaigners say proceeding with the new runway will leave the government's legal commitment to cut carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 in tatters.

"Expanding Heathrow would shatter the government's international reputation on climate change," said Andy Atkins, executive director of Friends of the Earth.
"We need bold and urgent action to create a low-carbon economy, not more backing for the climate-wrecking activities of the aviation industry."

But the government believes the new runway will not violate its EU commitments on air and noise pollution, pointing out that new aircraft being built will reduce emissions significantly.

Supporters of the runway say Heathrow is already operating at full capacity and the UK economy will lose business to the rest of Europe if it does not go ahead.

They point out that rival airports such as Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam already have at least four runways and that Heathrow is at risk of falling further behind.

Former Labour MP Lord Soley is the campaign director of Future Heathrow, which represents groups in favour of expanding the airport.

He told BBC News that Heathrow brought jobs and "prosperity" to surrounding areas adding: "It is at risk and if it continues to decline, then the consequences for west London and the Thames Valley will be very, very serious indeed."

British Airways, the largest airline at Heathrow, has said expanding the airport is the only "credible option".

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson also defended the government's commitment to environmental concerns adding: "It's a classic dilemma - we want to forge ahead in implementing our climate change ambitions when others are not but we don't want to lose our economic competitiveness in the process. We want to do both these things."

'Half a runway'

Meanwhile sources close to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband described the plans as "only half a runway".

BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said it was understood that the growth in flights would be decided not by the airlines or owner BAA but in effect by the Climate Change Committee, under Lord Turner.

Strict emissions targets would be set and if breached, no new slots would be given to the airlines, he said, meaning a new runway would be unlikely to operate at full capacity.