High Court Ruling On Third Runway 'Gives New Hope'

CHATR heartened by decision to allow full legal challenge

The court protest by CHATR

Chiswick campaigners against a third runway at Heathrow (CHATR) have said the High Court ruling last week "gives new hope" to those involved in opposing further expansion.

The Courts of Justice ruled on Thursday that all six legal challenges brought against the Parliament’s decision in June to back a third runway at Heathrow, can go to a full hearing. This will take place in March 2019 in front of two judges.

A spokesperson for CHATR, said; 'We are delighted that the High Court gave permission for all five separate claims against the third runway to proceed to a full judicial review. For those opposed to any further expansion of Heathrow this brings new hope. "Chiswick has not been part of the legal action but is directly affected with a new flight path directly overhead.

"The case for Heathrow expansion put before MPs earlier in the year was based on highly misleading figures which significantly underestimate the serious adverse public health effects from both noise and pollution while greatly exaggerating the economic benefit to the country.

"Not to mention ignoring our climate change responsibilities. It is right that this is fully investigated. To all CHATR members - Keep up the fight "

HACAN chair John Stewart said of the ruling, “This is a blow to the Government. At best it probably thought it would just need to defend two or three of the challenges. Now it faces all six. The five parties are:

A consortium of local authorities (Hillingdon, Hammersmith & Fulham, Richmond, Wandsworth and Windsor & Maidenhead), Greenpeace and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.
Heathrow Hub Limited (promoters of a rival scheme to expand Heathrow
Friends of the Earth
Plan B, an environmental justice organisation
Neil Spurrier – a resident of Twickenham, Middlesex

Hounslow Council has not participated in the challenge- its official line is that it supports a 'Better Not Bigger Heathrow'.

Due to the size of the cases, amount of paperwork involved, and the public interest in the case, the hearings in March will be heard by two judges and will be heard in the largest courtroom at the Royal Courts of Justice. A separate courtroom may have to be used as overspill, with a TV link to the main proceedings, due to levels of interest.

Paul McGuinness, Chair of the No 3rd Runway Coalition, said, “These legal challenges are of the Government’s own making . It is not insignificant that the judge has permitted all five claimants to proceed to judicial review. In addition to the claim from several councils and the London Mayor, the four other claims raise some serious points of law.

“If the government had not ignored available evidence in their blinkered enthusiasm to expand this already highly disruptive airport, parliament would not have supported the proposal, and these actions would not have been necessary."

John McDonnell MP, who addressed opponents of Heathrow expansion, gathered in solidarity outside the High Court, said, “The third runway project is increasingly recognised as a non-runner. The Government needs to listen this time and time again and stop wasting taxpayers’ money in another failing Grayling project.

“A Government that prevents Heathrow going ahead will send a message that we are serious about climate change, serious about creating a zero-carbon economy and the development of our transport network will not be concentrated in one part of the country.”

A spokesman for Back Heathrow said, "Local people and the democratic process have spoken and we're very confident that this will be backed up by the courts formally through this judicial process. After decades of delay this project looks well on course to deliver for local communities and our country. Not before time".

October 6, 2018