A third runway at Heathrow airport will be given the go-ahead by the government later today, inthenews.co.uk understands.

The decision means the government will now become embroiled in a series of battles with those in its own party, opposition parties, environmentalists and local villagers.

“If Geoff Hoon [transport secretary] comes to the House tomorrow to announce that the government will give the go ahead to a third runway he will prove that Gordon Brown is deaf to the concerns of his own party and millions of people living under the flight path,” said shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers last night.

“A third runway at Heathrow would be an environmental disaster and will prove that you cannot trust a word Gordon Brown says on climate change and pollution.”

But there are concessions:

• Lord Adonis is expected to announce a £4.5 billion rail hub to improve links to the airport
• There will be strict monitoring of noise and pollution levels
• A sixth terminal will also be built

Green Party leader Dr Caroline Lucas said the announcement was “irresponsible, deceptive and environmentally disastrous”.

Dr Lucas said: “This decision demonstrates a complete contempt for the environment, for the health of UK citizens and for our democratic processes.”

Greenpeace has bought up a plot of land near the proposed site of the runway in a bid to stall building work. There are also reports Boris Johnson, London mayor, will launch a legal challenge.

Yesterday, the prime minister refused to allow for a vote on the issue in the Commons.

Responding to a inquiry about a vote during prime minister’s questions, Gordon Brown said: “The secretary of state is examining this matter, he will report to parliament, there will be a debate about what he says in the questions that follow, and then, if I may say so, if the matter was accepted and a proposal was put by the secretary of state, it would go to a planning inquiry.”

Concerns over the runway within the Labour party reach Cabinet level, with climate change secretary Ed Miliband, environment secretary Hilary Benn and leader of the House Harriet Harman all publicly expressing concerns.

The local village of Sipson will be bulldozed to build the runway.

Once the new runway is built, Heathrow will become one of the most polluting sources of CO2 in the country, emitting nearly 27 million tonnes of CO2 annually.

Friends of the Earth said expanding Heathrow would “shatter the government’s international reputation on climate change and seriously threaten the UK’s ability to meet its targets for cutting emissions”.