Aviation

Heathrow expansion: Development Consent Order

Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) plans to take forward its expansion plans through a Development Consent Order (DCO) application. HAL launched a first non-statutory consultation in January 2018. This consultation outlined HAL's emerging plans for building and operating a new northwest runway.

In January 2019, HAL launched another non-statutory consultation, 'Airspace and Future Operations', about both to its DCO application and its associated airspace change process. Responses were submitted on behalf of the Mayor to both consultations.

National Policy Statement on Heathrow expansion

The Department for Transport (DfT) held a consultation from 2 February to 25 May 2017 on the National Policy Statement (NPS) for additional airport capacity in the South East and what requirements need to be met for Heathrow to expand. The Mayor of London made a detailed submission to this consultation.

The DfT held a supplementary consultation between 24 October and 19 December 2017 after the NPS was revised in light of updated Passenger Demand Forecasts and the publication of the national Air Quality Plan. The Mayor made a further detailed submission to this consultation.

The Secretary of State for Transport laid the final NPS before Parliament on 5 June 2018. Alongside the final NPS, the Government also published its response to the Transport Select Committee (TSC) report on the NPS and the two public consultations.

Our review of the final NPS indicates that the Government has largely ignored the comprehensive recommendations of the Transport Select Committee. Whether or not one accepts the case for Heathrow expansion, the result is that the final NPS is simply not fit for purpose.

Review of the final NPS

Submission to the revised NPS consultation

Submission to the original NPS consultation

In January 2018, shortly after our submission to the consultation on the revised NPS, we published a paper summarising the results of our surface access analysis to date. 

Submissions to the Transport Select Committee

The House of Commons Transport Select Committee launched a call for evidence between 22 February and 24 March 2017 into the NPS for expansion at Heathrow. This was followed by a further call for evidence between 1 November and 30 November 2017. Responses were submitted by the Mayor of London and the Deputy Mayor for Transport respectively.

A further response was submitted from the Deputy Mayor to clarify points raised by the DfT and Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) during the Transport Select Committee hearings held in February 2018.

UK aviation strategy

The DfT is developing a new aviation strategy for the UK which will set the long-term vision for the sector. This consultation process was launched with an initial call for evidence in July 2017.

In April 2018, an update and next steps report was published by the DfT. The Mayor submitted a response to the initial call for evidence. 

UK airspace policy

The DfT held a consultation on UK airspace policy in 2017 which included proposals to modernise airspace. The Deputy Mayor for Transport submitted a response to this consultation.

Economic regulation of Heathrow

The CAA has held three consultations on the economic regulation of Heathrow. The first, held at the start of 2017, identified the key principles and timetable. The second, in the summer 2017, explored the core elements. The third, held at the end of 2017, was a policy update.

We submitted responses to the first two consultations.

Night flights

The Government held a consultation on night flights which outlined the night flight rules for UK airports for a period of 5 years to 2022. The Mayor submitted a response to this consultation. 

Environmental Audit Committee on Heathrow expansion

The Environmental Audit Committee held an inquiry into the implications of an expanded Heathrow. The Deputy Mayor for Transport submitted evidence to this inquiry. 

You can also see older documents related to London aviation policy under the previous Mayor. Most of these cover the debate over airport capacity.