Key facts
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham declined to back a third runway at Heathrow Airport.
- Heathrow Airport now expects the third runway to be operational by 2039, a delay from the original 2035 deadline.
- The estimated cost of the Heathrow expansion project is £33 billion.
- The proposed runway could increase annual flights at Heathrow to 720,000 from the current cap of 480,000.
- Unite and GMB unions support the Heathrow expansion, citing job creation.
- Environmental groups and local residents oppose the expansion due to social and environmental costs.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has declined to explicitly back a third runway at London Heathrow Airport, stating that the decision is primarily for Londoners to make and that he must consider the results of a public consultation. Burnham, who previously criticized the project, said he did not want to "jump straight in" before considering the views of those affected.
Heathrow Airport acknowledged the prime minister's stance and the challenges in meeting the original 2035 opening deadline, now anticipating the runway might not be operational before 2039. The airport hopes to secure planning permission by 2029 and open the runway "within a decade." The Department for Transport stated that the timeline had always been ambitious and pledged to continue working with stakeholders.
The £33 billion project, which involves demolishing hundreds of homes and rerouting the M25 motorway, is estimated to create 100,000 jobs and boost the UK economy. However, environmental campaigners and local residents oppose the expansion due to social and environmental costs, including increased noise and air pollution. Unions like Unite and GMB support the project, emphasizing job creation and the need to start construction now.