Report recommends Birmingham Airport expansion to be delayed
A third runway could be built at Heathrow Airport – but plans to expand Birmingham Airport should be put on hold, a report published today by the Airports Commission reveals.
A second runway at Gatwick Airport is also on the options shortlist from the Whitehall-appointed commission, which is chaired by former Financial Services Authority chief Sir Howard Davies.
But the commission stopped short of listing Stansted Airport in Essex as a possible extra runway candidate, saying that overall one extra runway would be needed to be operational in south east England by 2030 with a second additional runway likely to be needed to be operational by 2050.
And it also said it had not shortlisted an expansion of Birmingham Airport as another way of taking pressure off airports in and around London.
Instead, it said Birmingham and Stansted expansions should only be considered in the future, saying they could become options "by 2050".
The commission said it had concluded "there is a need for one net additional runway to be in operation in the South East by 2030".
It added that its analysis also indicated "that there is likely to be a demand case for a second additional runway to be operational by 2050".
Sir Howard's team said it would be taking forward for further detailed study proposals for new runways at two locations.
Gatwick Airport could create a new runway to the south of the existing runway. At Heathrow there are two options – a new 3,500m runway to the north west or the expansion of the existing northern runway to at least 6,000m, enabling the extended runway to operate as two independent runways.
London Mayor Boris Johnson is bitterly opposed to expansion at Heathrow and favours a new airport in the Thames Estuary, dubbed "Boris Island".
Today, the commission said it had not shortlisted any of the Thames Estuary options "because there are too many uncertainties and challenges surrounding them at this stage".
