Airport pledges several initiatives to reduce noise and improve air quality

Heathrow Zaha thumb

A third runway at Heathrow has moved a step closer after the airport mapped out how it will meet strict sustainability demands from the Airports Commission.

The commission unanimously backed a new runway at Heathrow last July, but a decision from government has been postponed until this summer due to environmental concerns.

Addressing conditions set out by the Airports Commission for a new runway at Heathrow to be viable, the airport has pledged several initiatives to reduce noise and improve air quality.

The airport said it will establish a 鈥渃lear and legally binding鈥� noise envelope for the third runway and will also back the creation of an independent aviation noise authority with statutory powers.

It will also introduce a legally binding ban on all scheduled night flights for six and a half hours 鈥� recommended by the Airports Commission 鈥� from 11 pm to 5:30 am when a third runway opens.

Heathrow has also pledged to comply with the EU air quality limits if it gets permission to build a third runway.

It said it will also go beyond the Airports Commission鈥檚 conditions and develop plans for a London-style congestion charge if a new runway is built.

Responding to the pledges, Gatwick CEO Stewart Wingate dismissed Heathrow鈥檚 air quality commitments and claimed the airport already breaches air quality limits, adding a third runway would 鈥渙nly make matters worse and would consequently be unlawful.鈥�

But Jo Valentine, chief executive of business group London First, said the 鈥渢ough decisions鈥� taken by Heathrow with its sustainability commitments had 鈥渁ddressed the concerns of local residents鈥�.

She added: 鈥淭his should remove the last rational objections to Heathrow expansion, which is essential if British businesses are to be properly connected with the emerging cities around the world.鈥�

The commitments come as Heathrow shortlisted four architects in a competition for proposals for the airport鈥檚 expansion.

Zaha Hadid (design, pictured), Grimshaw, HOK and Benoy have been chosen by Heathrow, who described them as 鈥渇our of Britain鈥檚 best aviation architects鈥�.

The architects will now be asked to refine their designs before a final concept designer is selected in July.

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