GOV’T SIMPLY DELAYING THE INEVITABLE
STOP HEATHROW EXPANSION
PRESS RELEASE
6 September 2021
For immediate use
GOV’T SIMPLY DELAYING THE INEVITABLE
The Government’s decision to not review the Airports National Policy Statement on Heathrow expansion at this time is simply delaying what will become inevitable once proposals reach the planning stage, according to campaigners from Stop Heathrow Expansion (1).
The decision was announced on Monday (6 September) in a letter to organisations and individuals that had written to the Department for Transport to request a review (2).
In some areas, such as climate policy and emissions, the Government does not rule out a review once future policy, currently being decided, is made (3).
But this still isn’t good enough according to campaigners fighting to save their community and those around it from a 3rd runway and is simply delaying what will become inevitable at the planning stage – the next formal part of the process Heathrow needs to go through to obtain permission to expand.
Geraldine Nicholson from local campaign group Stop Heathrow Expansion, said:
“Although this decision does not rule out a review at a future stage, when policy in areas affecting Heathrow expansion, such as air quality and climate change, are known, it is extremely frustrating that action has been decided against today.
“Heathrow expansion will not pass the planning stage of the process on a whole raft of issues, so why continue the policy any further now. It is certainly not in our national interest and locally thousands of people immediately around Heathrow must live with the proposals hanging over them for even longer while the Government decides how best to save face by cancelling the plans. This decision is simply delaying the inevitable.”
ENDS.
Notes:
1. Stop Heathrow Expansion is a resident-led group based in the Heathrow Villages within the London Borough of Hillingdon. The group fights for those who live in the immediate vicinity of Heathrow, including those who would lose their homes. More information is available online https://stopheathrowexpansion.co.uk/
2. Letter from Department for Transport, 6 September 2021 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1015207/decision-on-requests-to-review-the-anps.pdf
3. Areas of policy such as Jet Zero emissions and Sustainable Aviation Fuels, which could both impact the proposals for Heathrow Expansion laid out in the National Policy Statement, are out for consultation and will be finalised in the next few months. Air Quality laws are being finalised as part of the Environment Bill, currently at Report Stage in the House of Lords.