High Court rejects legal bids to halt Heathrow Airport expansion

The High Court has rejected claims that building a third runway at Heathrow Airport will contradict the Government’s climate change and air quality commitments. But that may not be the end of the story. Andrew Forster reports

10 May 2019

Heathrow Airport’s owners are promoting expansion through a complex legal landscape

The plan to build a third runway at Heathrow Airport cleared a legal hurdle last week as the High Court dismissed judicial review challenges brought by councils and environmental campaign groups.

Lord Justice Hickinbottom and Mr Justice Holgate considered five challenges against the Government’s airports National Policy Statement (NPS), which supports construction of a new north-west runway at Heathrow and associated infrastructure. The NPS is Government policy, having been approved...