Fri, 01 Aug 2025

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 Heathrow Airport's expansion plans to cost £49bn

Heathrow says expansion is "urgent" for UK growth, but plans are heavily criticised over environmental concerns.

* Heathrow Airport's expansion plan, worth £49bn, aims to modernize and expand the airport with a new third runway and terminal.
* The plan is backed by the government and business groups, but faces opposition from environmentalists and locals who fear increased noise pollution, air pollution, and harm to climate change targets.
* The estimated cost of building the new runway is £21bn, while modernizing the current airport's infrastructure would cost £15bn and building a new terminal would cost £12bn.
* Heathrow's CEO Thomas Woldbye claims that the expansion will benefit the UK economy by growing GDP by 0.43%.
* However, critics argue that the plans prioritize business interests over environmental concerns and that the government is prioritizing growth over reducing emissions.
* A rival proposal from the Arora Group suggests a cheaper alternative to expand the airport without altering the M25 motorway.
* The Transport Secretary has welcomed both proposals and says they will be considered carefully before a decision is made.
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