'Swift and Robust' Review to Speed Airport Expansion
Government outlines plans to proceed with Heathrow Third Runway
Visualisation of expanded Heathrow Airport. Picture: British Airways
October 22, 2025
Plans to expand Heathrow Airport have taken a major step forward this Wednesday (22 October) after the Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, announced a new ‘swift and robust’ review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) — the framework that governs how a third runway could be approved.
The government says the review, due to conclude within this Parliament, will be three years faster than the previous policy process, with the aim of allowing flights from a new runway to begin by 2035. Two competing schemes — from Heathrow Airport Limited and the Arora Group — remain under consideration, with one expected to be chosen by the end of November.
The Department for Transport said an updated ANPS is required because of new environmental and climate obligations introduced since 2018. The review will assess four key tests for any Heathrow expansion: its impact on climate change, noise, air quality, and economic growth.
Ministers argue that expanding Heathrow is vital to supporting trade, jobs and international investment, describing it as a project that will “back Britain’s builders, not blockers.”
The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, said the third runway would “make Britain the world’s best-connected place to do business.”
The government insists that the project will be financed entirely by the private sector, without cost to taxpayers, and that it could be designated critical national infrastructure because of Heathrow’s role in trade and connectivity.
While national business groups welcomed the announcement, the prospect of renewed expansion plans has revived concerns among residents in west and south-west London, who already experience some of the highest levels of aircraft noise in the UK.
Campaigners say that a third runway would significantly increase the number of flights over densely populated areas including Ealing, Putney, Chiswick and Hammersmith, potentially undermining recent improvements in air quality linked to the ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) scheme.
Paul McGuinness, chair of the No 3rd Runway Coalition, described the government’s approach as “stubbornly misguided,” arguing that “the Government remains unable to explain how expansion can be compatible with our legal commitments on climate, and has set no regulatory obligation on noise pollution from aircraft whatsoever.”
In response, the Department for Transport said the review process will ensure any future expansion proposal meets “rigorous tests” on climate and environmental impacts, and that communities and stakeholders will be able to have their say when the draft ANPS is published for consultation next summer.
A new UK Airspace Design Service will also be created to modernise flight paths and, the government says, minimise the impact of aviation noise where possible.
The Transport Secretary told MPs, “As our only hub airport, Heathrow is critical to the UK’s economy. Enabling expansion will drive growth and create jobs across the country, delivering on our Plan for Change.”
However, local campaigners insist that faster approval should not come at the expense of environmental safeguards.
For communities under Heathrow’s flight paths, the next phase of consultation — expected in summer 2026 — will be a key test of whether the government can balance the drive for economic growth with protecting residents from the increased aircraft noise and air pollution that could accompany a larger airport.
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