Heathrow overturns ruling against its third runway plan

The Supreme Court has overturned the Court of Appeal’s ruling against the expansion of Heathrow Airport. But big hurdles continue to stand in the way of a third runway being built

11 January 2021

How Heathrow would look with the third runway (left). Environmentalists are now threatening a new legal challenge against the Government’s airports National Policy Statement, which backs Heathrow expansion

Crosland: ‘grim future of crisis upon crisis’

Heathrow Airport has won the battle but has it won the war? The Supreme Court ruled just before Christmas that the Government’s Airports National Policy Statement (NPS), which backs a third runway at Heathrow, is lawful after all. This clears the way for the airport’s owners to submit a Development Consent Order (DCO) application for the airport’s expansion. But with the Prime Minister being a vocal opponent of the third runway, the Government could yet place a new barrier in...