UK: Heathrow third runway faces fresh hurdle as legal challenge prepared

Heathrow’s third runway is facing a further disruption after a rival bidder prepared to launch a judicial review citing “serious errors” in the analysis which underpinned the UK government’s recent airport expansion decision. The Heathrow Hub, which is arguing for an extension to the airport’s current runway rather than the building of a new one, has hired a heavyweight City law firm to write to Transport Secretary Chris Grayling warning of mistakes in the Airports National Policy Statement. In a letter to Grayling, lawyers from DAC Beachcroft said a recent report by York Aviation consultants – which were engaged by the government to consider the Heathrow Hub bid – “contains serious factual errors as well as inaccuracies”. Unless the government reneges on its decision “it is likely” it will be legally challenged. After experiencing years of delays, consideration under section 13 of the Planning Act put several more months into the process as the legal ramifications are considered.<br/>