northwest runway proposal. However, it was
October 2016 before the UK Government
gave it the go-ahead.
It is the location of the new runway that
has brought vociferous opposition, as the
development will involve the compulsory
purchase of houses located in the villages
of Sipson and Harmondsworth. While this
issue continues to be contentious, Heathrow
Airport Limited (HAL) has been underlining
its aim to mitigate the project’s impact on
local communities. In February a press
statement was released in letter form from
HAL Chairman, Lord Paul Deighton, who
wanted to stress: “...the national importance
of expansion, but also the importance
of expanding the right way for local
communities and the country.” He stated:
“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity
to reduce the negative impacts of Heathrow
on our local communities – and to ensure
that local residents and businesses can
bene t from the positive impacts, including
jobs and investment which expansion will
create.” He also declared that HAL has
learned from past proposals regarding
Heathrow expansion, including its own in
2009, which were set aside because thepriorities were considered to be wrong.
“They [the priorities] put the interests of
airlines and the airport rst. They did not
prioritise the needs of our communities,
passengers and country and it was right
these proposals were rejected.” This letter
came ahead of the nal evidence session of
the UK House of Commons Transport Select
Committee Inquiry into the draft Airports
National Policy Statement (NPS).
The select committee reported its ndings
on March 23 stating: “We conclude that the
government is right to pursue development
at Heathrow and accept the strategic
arguments the government has made in
favour of its preferred scheme. The NWR
[northwest runway] scheme should offer the
greatest strategic bene ts, provided it can
deliver the expected capacity, at the costs
outlined in the NPS and on the timetable
projected.” It went on to say: “Safeguards
and mitigations are needed to ensure that
the interests of passengers are protected,
and the adverse environmental, social and
health impacts on affected communities are
appropriately mitigated. We acknowledge
HAL and the government’s efforts to mitigate
the environmental and social impactshttp://www.aviation-news.co.uk 21Above: Heathrow Airport Limited’s CEO,
John Holland-Kaye. LHR Airports Limited
Below: An Etihad Airways Airbus A380
lifts off from Heathrow. Over 30 airlines
would like to start or grow operations from
Heathrow. AirTeamImages.com/Steve Flint20-25_heathrowDC.mfDC.mfDC.indd 21 06/04/2018 15:13