Heathrow's third runway delayed by four years until 2039
Airport chiefs have told ministers that the 2035 target for Heathrow's third runway cannot be met, pushing the scheme's opening back to 2039 — a blow to the Government's growth ambitions.
Heathrow airport’s third runway has been delayed by four years and will not be operational until 2039, it has emerged.
Bosses at the UK’s largest and busiest airport have told the Government that sticking to the current 2035 deadline is not possible, it is understood.
The shifting deadline is likely to come as a blow to Andy Burnham’s growth ambitions, as Labour’s annual conference kicks off in Liverpool.
The 2035 target was set by then-chancellor Rachel Reeves last January, who said the project would create 100,000 jobs.
A Heathrow spokesperson said: “It’s right that ambitious targets were set; the sooner expansion begins, the sooner the whole UK will benefit. Our focus has always been to secure planning permission by 2029. Once achieved, the runway will be open within a decade – and the benefits of expansion can be felt from today. At least 108,000 new jobs and billions invested in supply chains in every part of the country.”
The spokesperson added: “This is a national project, 100% privately financed, which will support growth today and secure the UK’s position in the global economy once the runway opens.”
“There is currently no live planning application for a third runway,” a Department for Transport spokesperson said, adding: “The timeline has always been ambitious.”
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander insisted the project could go ahead without falling foul of climate change commitments, after the Climate Change Committee said earlier this month that the expansion cannot go ahead unless the aviation industry is forced to clean up its emissions.
Sources
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