Campaigners who are opposed to a third runway at Heathrow Airport have lost a High Court challenge on Wednesday morning.
Last year Parliament backed a £18bn third runway, environmentalists and local communities have tried to block the third runway over noise and air quality.
Solicitors representing the government said the High Court action against the third runway is “unarguable.”
Campaigners argued a new third runway will effectively create a “new airport” that will have a “severe” impact for Londoners.
Nigel Pleming QC who outlined the case for campaigners said passenger numbers will rise to an estimated 132m, which is an increase of 60%.
John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK said, “This verdict will not reduce the impact on local communities from increased noise and air pollution, nor will it resolve Heathrow Ltd’s financial difficulties or the economic weakness in their expansion plans.
“But our main concern is allowing Heathrow, the UK’s biggest carbon emitter, to expand in the middle of a climate emergency.”
Solicitors representing transport secretary Chris Grayling after the case was bought against him said case was “premature” and campaigners can make representations at a later stage during the planning process.
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