Five parties of claimants against expansion at Heathrow airport are set to meet tomorrow to seek a full judicial review at a pre-trial hearing.
Several groups have lodged requests for a review of the government’s National Policy Statement (NPS) on expanding Heathrow with a third runway, which was passed by Parliament in June. The claimants include:
- A consortium of five local authorities (Hillingdon, Hammersmith and Fulham, Richmond, Wandsworth and Windsor and Maidenhead), along with London mayor Sadiq Khan and environmental group Greenpeace
- Heathrow Hub – promoters of an independent proposal to extend an existing runway at Heathrow
- Environmental network Friends of the Earth
- Environmental justice organisation Plan B
- And Neal Spurrier, a resident of Twickenham
The claimants have called for the review over concerns that the NPS was passed “despite many unanswered questions about the project’s legality and wider environmental impact”.
Campaigners, residents and politicians – including John McDonnell, MP for Hayes and Harlington – will hold a ‘solidarity event’ outside the High Court tomorrow.
The No 3rd Runway Coalition – of which three claimants are members – welcomed the pre-trial hearing, saying it provides the chance to highlight the “severe negative impacts” of the project.
Paul McGuinness, chair of the No 3rd Runway Coalition, commented: “The legal actions against the government’s decision to expand Heathrow is supported by a very large number of communities, who firmly believe that the negative environmental impact of this highly disruptive airport should not be allowed to grow.
“Having ignored evidence, such as the report of Parliament’s Transport Select Committee, the decision to expand Heathrow was always going to end up in the courts, under judicial review, and we are delighted that the process has now started and welcome this decisive action by a number of parties.”
The coalition says it is envisaged that the issues raised by claimants will be heard by the courts in March 2019.
no3rdrunwaycoalition.co.uk