Heathrow Airport's third runway may be delayed to 2039
The UK's busiest airport says the original goal of 2035 will be difficult to meet without simplifying the planning process.
Heathrow Airport has revealed its third runway could be delayed until 2039 due to planning and regulatory challenges. The UK's largest airport, originally aiming for a 2035 opening, now sees the ambitious target as increasingly unfeasible without simplifying the planning process. Heathrow hopes to secure planning permission by 2029, with the runway coming online within a decade.
The Department for Transport (DfT) acknowledged the project's timeline as always ambitious and pledged to collaborate with stakeholders swiftly on the matter. While the core scenario remains to open a new runway within a decade of obtaining planning permission, the airport remains encouraged by the government's efforts to streamline infrastructure and remove policy bottlenecks.
Despite facing opposition from environmental groups and local residents, the ambitious expansion promises to generate around 100,000 jobs and significantly boost the economy. The project would necessitate the demolition of numerous homes, diverting rivers, and rerouting the M25 motorway through a tunnel under the new runway. Current flight capacity at Heathrow, capped at 480,000 annually, could increase to 720,000, averaging nearly 2,000 flights per day.
Mayor Sadiq Khan has consistently opposed the project, citing concerns over noise, air pollution, and climate change. A consultation on the expansion was launched in June, with the final decision potentially delayed until 2027. The DfT emphasized that there is no active planning application for the third runway and that they cannot comment on ongoing consultations to avoid delaying progress.
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