Government formally backs Heathrow third runway expansion

The government has provided its first formal endorsement of the third runway expansion at Heathrow since the change in leadership. This support was articulated by John Healey during evidence before the Treasury Committee, marking a significant shift in the administration’s public stance on the major infrastructure project. The remarks confirm that the current leadership is in favour of the development, despite previous reluctance to explicitly back the scheme.

Healey stated that the government was behind the third runway and expressed frustration with the regulatory complexities that have delayed its approval. He noted that successful airports often serve as engines for economic growth in their wider regions, a principle he applied to both Manchester and London. The former Manchester mayor acknowledged that while the National Planning Act of 2008 was designed to address chronic delays in infrastructure projects, the process still takes too long. This position contrasts with earlier comments from Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who had previously dismissed the decision as one for Londoners, representing a departure from the previous administration’s approach which had made the project a key pillar of its growth agenda.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander reinforced this support in a speech at an aviation summit in London. She described the government’s efforts to speed up the delivery of the runway as moving heaven and earth. Alexander highlighted the approval of expansions at Gatwick and Luton as positive steps for the South East and argued that the same logic applies to Heathrow. She emphasised that the third runway has the potential to unlock opportunities, jobs, investment and growth across the country, leading to the faster than expected delivery of a draft planning blueprint.

The government recently concluded a public consultation regarding the planning framework for judging applications from Heathrow and rival bidder Heathrow West. The final draft of the National Policy Statement is expected to be published early next year, ahead of a crucial vote by members of parliament. In the same address, Alexander also criticised the organisation responsible for the country’s air traffic control system. She expressed anger at two major outages this year which left thousands of passengers stranded and caused widespread cancellations. She stated that the impact on passengers was unacceptable and promised that the results of a watchdog inquiry would be published soon, while assuring that lessons would be learned to prevent future disruptions.