The Government of the United Kingdom has made its decision regarding which of the two proposals for the new third runway at 
London Heathrow Airport (LHR) that it would like to take forward. This choice has seen it opt for the longer of the two that were proposed, which, despite requiring a section of the M25 motorway to be moved, is considered to be “the most deliverable.”
There is still a long way to go before construction, let alone scheduled airline operations, can begin on the new runway. Still, today’s decision marks an important step forward in the lengthy planning process for the third landing strip at the busiest airport in the UK. With demand on the rise, a new runway is considered the best way to increase capacity at the slot-based hub.
Heathrow Airport Limited Had The Winning Bid
The two bids put forward for the proposed third runway at London Heathrow Airport came from Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) and the Arora Group. As pictured above, HAL’s proposal features a longer runway measuring around 3,500 meters (11,483 feet) that would come into conflict with the adjacent M25 motorway at the western perimeter of London Heathrow Airport’s airfield.
Contrastingly, the Arora Group proposed a shorter alternative that would avoid needing to re-route the motorway. Earlier today, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander submitted a written update to Parliament explaining that the Government would be taking the HAL proposal forward. A corresponding statement released by the Government of the United Kingdom went on to explain:
“The government has assessed that HAL’s proposal offers the most deliverable option and provides the greatest likelihood of meeting the government’s ambition for a decision on a development consent application within this parliament.”
The Airport Has Welcomed The Decision
Following the publication of the Government’s decision, Heathrow released a statement of its own via its ‘Heathrow News’ social media channel. The facility said that it “welcomed the confirmation from the Government that Heathrow’s scheme for a third runway will be taken forward,” adding that “definitive decisions from the CAA and Government by mid-December” are needed.
The rationale behind the latter part of the hub’s statement is the fact that getting such decisions tied up by the end of the year would avoid further delays to the project. While it will take a long time to come to fruition either way, there is a degree of haste surrounding the expansion, given that, as a slot-controlled airport, Heathrow is continuing to operate at capacity as demand rises.
As previously reported by Simple Flying, HAL’s proposal, which it described as being ‘shovel-ready’ to be operational within 10 years, would cost almost £50 billion ($66 billion), but would almost double the hub’s capacity. However, this would be offset by, as Heathrow puts it, “more connectivity, increased trade, improved passenger experience, and a huge economic boost.“
How Heathrow’s 3rd Runway Will Help Add To The UK’s $160 Billion Aviation Industry
Heathrow says the expansion would create thousands of new jobs and add around 0.43% to the country’s GDP.
What Happens Next?
It has already been almost a year since the Government of the United Kingdom gave the green light to a proposed third runway at London Heathrow Airport, with this decision initially coming back at the start of February 2025. This paved the way for the likes of HAL and the Arora Group to submit their bids for the expansion plan, with the former having now officially been chosen.
With this decision locked and loaded, the HAL plan will now “be used as the scheme to progress the project.” In the short term, this will see it “shape the review of the Airports National Policy Statement, which is the framework within which the planning decision on expansion at the airport will be made.” According to Heathrow, the draft ANPS should be published next summer.
At this point, consultation regarding any potential amendments to the draft ANPS will be opened, with the BBC noting that, once this work is complete, the airport will be able to apply for planning permission. The Government hopes that it will be able to make a decision on this by 2029, when its current term will come to an end, with Heathrow hoping to open the runway by 2035.
