Council Pledges to Continue to Oppose Heathrow Expansion
Refuses to follow government's shift towards supporting third runway
A plane approaching Heathrow airport
February 3, 2025
Wandsworth Council is refusing to follow the lead of the Chancellor of the Exchequer and is not backing plans for expansion at Heathrow.
It says that the impact of Heathrow on Wandsworth residents is significant with increased noise pollution due to the loss of runway alternation on the existing runways. This will result in aircraft overhead for more hours each day when westerly operations are in place, with no respite after 3pm. The reduced length of the new runway will force larger, noisier aircraft to use the existing full-length runways, further exacerbating the disruption particularly over Putney.
The council is urging the government and Heathrow Airport to prioritise sustainable alternatives.
In 2019, the council helped lead a cross-party coalition of other local authorities, consisting of Richmond, Hillingdon, Windsor and Maidenhead, and Hammersmith and Fulham. This group, working with the Mayor of London and climate charities, challenged the Government’s Airports National Policy Statement, arguing that it failed to adequately consider the environmental implications or align with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Although the High Court initially ruled in the coalition’s favour, Heathrow’s appeal to the Supreme Court reversed this decision. The council has now reaffirmed our commitment to opposing any airport expansion that exceeds the current cap of 480,000 annual flights.
Council Leader, Simon Hogg, said, “We cannot stand by and let Heathrow have a green light to enact such unwelcome changes on our communities. The third runway not only threatens our environment but will also severely affect the day-to-day lives of thousands of Wandsworth residents. This fight is about protecting their quality of life, holding the Government accountable for its climate promises, and ensuring a sustainable future for our borough. We will work tirelessly alongside our coalition partners to oppose these plans.”
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