Heathrow expansion plans 'to be challenged in High Court'

Date: 23/2/2010

Government plans to build a third runway at Heathrow Airport are to be challenged at the High Court in London, it has been reported.

Six local councils, three leading environmental groups and residents are to argue that the government's Heathrow expansion consultation process has been fundamentally flawed.

Lawyers for the coalition will also argue the expansion plans undermine the government's climate change targets.

They will also suggest there is insufficient evidence in the government's claim that there will be ample public transport to serve the new runway.

The expansion project was approved by the transport secretary at the time, Geoff Hoon.

Greenpeace executive director John Sauven commented: "It's been clear from the start that there has been huge opposition to this runway. Nearly 90 per cent of the people who responded to the consultation opposed the expansion of Heathrow. Yet mysteriously the government gave the go-ahead."