Third runway court challenge
Tuesday February 23, 2010
Alistair McGowan and protestors outside the High Court
Plans for the massive expansion of Heathrow Airport are being threatened by a high profile legal challenge.
A High Court Judge began scrutinising the Government's decision to signal the go-ahead for a third runway at the airport earlier today.
In January 2009 the Government endorsed plans for a third runway and sixth terminal at Heathrow despite concerns from a cross-party coalition of councils, residents' and green groups. The decision prompted a coalition of organisations, including Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) Council, to launch the High Court showdown.
Cllr Greg Smith, H&F cabinet member, joined around 150 protestors outside the court, on The Strand in Central London, this morning (23 February). He said: "The organisations that are bringing this legal challenge represent at least seven million people between them. We understand what our residents are saying to us. The decision to give a green light to a third runway flew in the face of logic and needs to be grounded before it is too late."
Ninety-three per cent of H&F residents said they were against Heathrow expansion in a council poll of more than 4,000 people in 2008, at the time of the Government's public consultation on the third runway.
The legal team representing the anti-expansion coalition at the High Court are arguing that ministers failed to conduct a lawful consultation process and arrived at a decision on a half-capacity third runway, which was different to the fully operational runway in the consultation.
Lawyers claim the decision was irrational in a number of areas including the economic case, noise, air quality and transport impacts and is inconsistent with the Government's national policy on climate change.
Comedian Alistair McGowan was among the protestors at the High Court. He is one of thousands of people who have bought land at the 'Airplot' in Sipson, the village that would be flattened if the runway goes ahead.
He said: "I'm here today because, like the residents of Sipson, I'm enraged about the Government's seemingly unquenchable passion to tarmac over my land - land which I now own with over 65,000 people from around the world. I hope that the ministers who wouldn't listen to already suffering west Londoners, highly respected climate scientists or battling local councils will listen to the courts. I don't want to end up having to fend off BAA with a pitchfork and a large bull."
If the third runway is built and used to capacity, the number of flights could rocket from 480,000 to 702,000 by 2030 - equivalent to building a new airport the size of Gatwick in the most densely populated part of the country.
H&F Council has consistently argued that the decision to press ahead with a third runway will bring extra noise, air pollution and traffic mayhem to the borough, as well as putting further pressure on an already over-crowded public transport system.
Cllr Smith said: "Hammersmith & Fulham is saying 'no' to a third runway at Heathrow. Thousands of borough residents will suffer from more aircraft noise and pollution if a third runway is ever built and areas that have been previously unaffected - like Hammersmith - will suddenly be under flight paths."
If the legal challenge is successful, it is likely that the Government will have to carry out a new public consultation and make a fresh decision on Heathrow expansion. H&F Council is pushing for a high speed rail link - centred around a major new station at Old Oak Common, in the north of the borough - as an alternative to expansion at Heathrow.
The legal challenge is being brought by six councils, including H&F, and is backed by Transport for London, the Mayor of London and environmental groups.
