Councils and Mayor of London issue judicial review proceedings over Heathrow expansion
Five local authorities, the Mayor of London and Greenpeace have this week formally issued judicial review proceedings in the High Court over the proposed expansion of Heathrow Airport.
The claim is being brought against the Secretary of State for Transport, on the basis that he has unlawfully designated the Airports National Policy Statement under the Planning Act 2008.
The councils involved are the London Boroughs of Hillingdon, Wandsworth, Richmond, and Hammersmith and Fulham and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.
The grounds of challenge are based on:
- air quality
- inadequate environmental assessment
- climate change
- surface access
- breach of the habitats directive, and
- flawed consultation.
Cllr Ray Puddifoot, Leader of Hillingdon Council, said: "Once again we have a government that is trying to avoid applying both the correct legal process and common sense to the question of airport expansion.
"The abject failure to address the far reaching consequences for both the environment and the health and wellbeing of tens of thousands of residents across London is simply not acceptable.
"This council is not prepared to stand back and allow this to happen without submitting the many flaws in this project to the rigorous scrutiny of the High Court and beyond, if necessary.
"I have confidence in the judicial process and am hopeful, that as with the previous judicial review challenge which was heard back in 2010, that the court will expose the many failings of this ill-thought-through project.”
