The UK Department for Transport (DfT) has announced progress on Heathrow Airport’s third runway, with the government launching a review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS).
The review sets out the regulatory basis for evaluating expansion proposals and is scheduled to produce a draft open for public consultation by summer 2026.
The Transport Secretary told Parliament that developments in environmental and climate policy since the ANPS was first released in 2018 require the statement to be updated.
The new version will assess expansion proposals against four principal criteria, including compliance with climate change targets, mitigation of noise, impact on air quality, and economic considerations.
The Climate Change Committee will be asked to provide formal guidance on any policy changes to ensure alignment with the UK’s net zero strategy.
The government aims for a final planning decision within the current Parliament and intends that flights could operate from a third runway by 2035.
Two promoter groups, including Heathrow Airport Limited and the Arora Group, remain under review for the project.
Both must provide further technical and impact data for government assessment, with selection of a preferred scheme expected by the end of November. Subsequent adjustments to the ANPS will be subject to public consultation.
The review follows recent approvals for expansion at Gatwick and Luton airports.
The DfT indicated that all costs associated with Heathrow’s expansion, including infrastructure links, will be privately financed, with no taxpayer contribution.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “When we say this government is one that backs the builders, not blockers we mean it.
“Today is a critical building block which will advance plans for the delivery of a third runway at Heathrow, meaning people can start to experience the full benefits sooner.”
The government is considering whether to categorise Heathrow as critical national infrastructure, which would add security and resilience requirements.
Plans to meet aviation emissions targets include the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill, which will guarantee market returns for domestic producers of green aviation fuel.
The government has allocated £63m to accelerate UK sustainable aviation fuel facility construction.
Additional reforms include the launch of a UK Airspace Design Service focused on modernising national airspace management and proposed changes to airport slot allocations to optimise capacity across London airports.
The government is advancing the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to accelerate approval processes for large-scale projects and is working with the judiciary to reduce legal delays in infrastructure delivery.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “After decades of false starts, we are backing the builders to get Heathrow’s third runway built, creating thousands of jobs, boosting growth across the UK, and making Britain the world’s best connected place to do business.”
In July this year, Heathrow Airport announced a £10bn ($13.35bn) investment over the next five years to enhance the passenger experience.
The plan prioritises improved service delivery, greater operational resilience, and expanded growth opportunities for airlines and UK businesses.
