The UK High Court has dismissed five legal challenges against the government’s plans to add a third runway at London Heathrow Airport.
In fall 2018, the UK transport secretary selected a third Heathrow runway--situated to the northwest of the current two runways--as the preferred option for new airport capacity in southeasr England
This decision was met with legal challenges from five local constituencies, the Mayor of London, several environmental bodies (including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and Plan B Earth), one individual claimant and the promoters of a rival Heathrow scheme that sought to double the length of the northern runway (the ENR Scheme).
“On May 1, 2019, the court handed down two judgments, one dealing with 22 grounds of challenge in the first four claims; and the second judgment dealing with the five grounds of claim in the fifth claim. All of the claims were, in the event, dismissed,” the court said.
The claims--which centered on climate change, air quality, surface access, habitats and treatment of bidders--were heard during two consecutive hearings to establish whether they were arguable.