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Airport decision: Osborne backs Heathrow but legal challenge rears its head

The former Chancellor George Osborne has become one of the biggest Westminster figures to nail their colours to the mast in the South East airport expansion decision, after calling on the government to approve a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

Citing the ‘overwhelming’ economic case for expansion at the Greater London airport, Osborne has broken ranks among the political establishment which, up until now, has opted to remain even-handed in suggesting that expansion at either Gatwick and Heathrow would be equally beneficial.

In a series of Tweets today, he argued that Heathrow expansion was the only way to ensure ‘Britain is open for the world’ and to connect the Northern Powerhouse with the rest of the country and the globe.

With a decision due on the long-delayed project due imminently, the shock possibility of both airports being greenlit for expansion has arisen in the last couple of days with Theresa May’s cabinet rumoured to be open to the possibility.

However, it has now become apparent that such a decision could itself be challenged in the courts by Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which owns both Stansted and Manchester Airport.

They argue that the Airports Commission’s 2015 report only considered the ramifications of constructing one runway up to 2030, and that any additional runway would constitute a second phase which the rest of the industry would need to be consulted on.

Speaking to the Guardian, Tim Hawkins, MAG’s corporate affairs director, commented: “If the government tries to make a decision about a second new runway at this point, we would almost certainly object, including by way of legal challenge.

“The government would put us in a position where we basically had no choice. We’re very clear there’s no evidence for the government to make a decision about more than one new runway. It’s going to need to run a further process before it can make that decision.”

Whatever the government’s decision, it is still expected to be a long journey before work can begin in earnest at either airport, with legal challenges and protests from local councils and campaigners expected to delay proceedings even further.