SC moved over Heathrow expansion decision

LONDON: A firm developing a rival bid to expand Heathrow has launched an appeal against a ruling by leading judges that the government must reconsider its support for a third runway. The Arora Group said it lodged appeal papers in the Supreme Court on Friday in a bid to “put Heathrow expansion back on track”. The west London airport’s owner, Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL), has also stated it will appeal to the Supreme Court.

On Thursday, the Court of Appeal ruled that the government failed to take account of its commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change when setting out its support for airport expansion in its National Policy Statement (NPS). Pending an appeal, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps must review the NPS if the Government wants the project to go ahead. The Arora Group was an interested party in the Court of Appeal case. It wants to build and operate a new terminal serving a third runway at Heathrow.