Heathrow reveals £49 billion blueprint for a third runway expansion project
London's Heathrow Airport has announced a £49-billion expansion plan, marking a significant move to increase its capacity and boost the U.K. economy. The plan, which is expected to take a decade to complete, includes building a third runway, a new terminal (T5X), expanding Terminal 2, closing Terminal 3, and substantial infrastructure improvements.
The third runway, a £21 billion project, is planned to be privately funded with government support. The new 3.2 km runway would enable the airport to increase its flights by 276,000 per year and raise passenger capacity from 84 million to 150 million. The runway's construction requires diverting the M25 motorway, constructing a new tunnel under the airport, and widening the motorway between junctions 14-15, including building a new M25 route 100 meters west of the current one with more capacity and safety improvements.
In addition to the runway, £12 billion is allocated for building the new terminal T5X, and £15 billion for expanding Terminal 2 and modernizing the airport's infrastructure, including two new dedicated parkways and upgrades to the bus and coach station to improve access.
The expansion aims to provide at least 30 new daily routes and more domestic connections. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is determined to deliver major infrastructure projects to revive the U.K. economy. However, the plan has faced opposition from some Labour MPs and the London mayor Sadiq Khan.
Heathrow has submitted its proposal for the 3,500 metre runway to the U.K. government, which is also considering a rival proposal from Arora Group, one of Heathrow's largest landowners, who will submit a bid to build a shorter third runway.
The expansion would be a rare one in Europe, where countries are divided between reducing greenhouse gas emissions and meeting the needs of strategic sectors. Greenpeace U.K.'s policy director, Douglas Parr, criticized the plans for exporting tourism wealth in a polluting manner.
Despite opposition from environmentalists and local residents, the expansion is aimed at boosting U.K. economic growth. Britain's Supreme Court ruled at the end of 2020 that Heathrow can build the third runway. The government is expected to back expansion at Gatwick airport in October. The full investment across all terminals is expected to take place over coming decades.
Heathrow Airport, Europe's busiest by passenger numbers, expects improved flight times due to the expansion. Local residents may experience disruption for a few more years due to the expansion. The increased capacity would almost double the number of annual passengers from 84 million to up to 150 million. Heathrow plans to invest £10 billion over the next five years in upgrades to boost passenger numbers, primarily funded by higher charges on airlines.
References: 1. Heathrow Airport Limited. (2021). Heathrow expansion. Retrieved from https://www.heathrowairport.com/expansion 2. BBC News. (2021). Heathrow expansion: What's the latest? Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-53631410
The £21 billion third runway project, a significant part of Heathrow's expansion plan, is intended to be privately funded with government support, an investment aimed at raising passenger capacity from 84 million to 150 million. This runway expansion, along with the £12 billion allocated for building the new terminal T5X and the £15 billion for expanding Terminal 2 and modernizing the airport's infrastructure, is anticipating to increase annual flights by 276,000 and provide at least 30 new daily routes, thereby boosting U.K. business and finance.
