Must meet carbon emissions targets, air quality limits and noise restrictions set out by Howard Davies鈥 Airports Commission

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Heathrow has set out detailed plans on how it intends to meet carbon emissions targets, air quality limits and noise restrictions set out by Howard Davies鈥 Airports Commission.

Westminster鈥檚 Environmental Audit Committee is holding an inquiry into the implications for government commitments on carbon emissions, air quality and noise should Davies鈥 Airports Commission鈥檚 recommendation of a third runway at Heathrow be adopted.

Heathrow has responded to the inquiry by outlining how its third runway plans can meet its commitment of reducing the number of people affected by noise from the airport by 200,000.

The airport said it is 鈥渃onfident that it can deliver emissions reductions targets surpassing the conservative calculations prepared by the commission鈥.

Matt Gorman, Heathrow鈥檚 director of sustainability, said: 鈥淭his is a plan which doesn鈥檛 force a choice between the environment and the economy, it will deliver for both.

鈥淲e have gone back to the drawing board, designed an improved approach and put forward a proposal for expansion unanimously recommended by the Airports Commission.鈥

In its recommendations for a third runway at Heathrow, the Airports Commission鈥檚 final report stated that Heathrow was compatible with the government鈥檚 target of 37.5MtCO2 emissions from aviation by 2050.

On noise, the commission stated that an expanded Heathrow with a third runway 鈥渨ould not inflict more noise nuisance on more people than it does today鈥.

However, the commission pointed out that Gatwick鈥檚 proposal for a second runway 鈥減erforms best鈥 against the commission鈥檚 objective to improve air quality in line with EU standards.