The long, torturous saga of Heathrow’s third runway has taken another decisive step forward with the government’s latest announcement today (22 October 2025).
Government’s ‘Accelerated’ Review and Timeline
The Department for Transport, spearheaded by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, officially launched a review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) today, October 22, 2025. This ANPS is the core policy document that underpins the entire Heathrow expansion project.
The tone from the government is clear: they are determined to move “further and faster” than the previous administration’s efforts, calling it a move to “back the builders, not the blockers.”
- Why the Review? The government states that an updated ANPS is necessary to align the plans with new environmental and climate obligations introduced since the original 2018 policy, particularly the UK’s net-zero commitments. The proposal will be tested against four key areas: climate change, air quality, noise, and economic growth.
- The New Timeline: They aim for a final decision on the expansion’s planning application within this Parliament and have an ambitious goal for planes to be taking off and landing at the new third runway by 2035. The draft ANPS is expected to be published for consultation by summer 2026.
The promise of a faster process is something we need to be sceptical about. Past history teaches us that this scheme usually failes. Speed also should not come at the expense of proper scrutiny and environmental protection.
🥊 The Final Two Bidders: A Tale of Two Runways
The big news for our local area is the narrowing down of the expansion proposals.
The government has confirmed it will select a single preferred scheme by the end of November. This is the moment we’ll know the precise details that will directly impact our community.
The competition is now a two-horse race:
- Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL): The incumbent operator’s proposal is for a full-length 3,500m runway. Their plan, costed at an estimated £49 billion, would necessitate the costly and disruptive project of tunnelling a section of the M25 motorway.
- The Arora Group (Heathrow West): This rival bid, led by hotel magnate Surinder Arora, proposes a shorter 2,800m runway. They claim this would avoid the need to reroute the M25, potentially cutting the cost to around £25 billion and making it less disruptive. Arora has long been a vocal critic of HAL’s management.
The difference between these two schemes is vast, not just in cost but in the potential land-take and long-term operational impacts on noise and air quality. We must remain highly engaged to understand which scheme is chosen and precisely what its local impact will be.
🏡 Property Uncertainty: The Compulsory Purchase Chess Game
Heathrow Airport’s parallel announcement about its property website for local communities. While it’s right that they inform surrounding villages, the focus on properties under the proposed runway (the Compulsory Purchase Zone or CPZ) leaves a major gap.
The Compulsory Purchase Zone is for properties that will be demolished. Owners in this zone are typically eligible for the unaffected market value plus a 25% Home Loss Payment and costs. However, our concern is those in the wider area.
As the article notes, there is “as yet no reference to Wider Property Offer Zones.”
- What are Wider Property Offer Zones? These zones typically cover properties that, while not needed for demolition, will be severely affected by significantly increased noise, air pollution, or loss of amenity, essentially rendering them difficult or impossible to sell at a fair price.
- Property Blight: The absence of clarity on these wider zones means homeowners are left suffering from property blight—the devaluation of their homes due to the project’s uncertainty.
- Interim Hardship Scheme: Heathrow does operate an Interim Property Hardship Scheme (PHS), which allows qualifying homeowners (with proof of genuine hardship like financial distress or relocation) to sell their property to the airport at its market value unaffected by the runway proposal. This is a lifeline for some, but it’s not a solution for the wider community.
Until the final design is chosen (end of November) and the Development Consent Order (DCO) application is submitted (expected in the coming years), the full extent of the land required and the impact zones will remain fluid. This uncertainty is an unacceptable cost to the people living here.
We need to:
- Stay Informed: Follow local council and Heathrow updates.
- Scrutinise the Proposals: Once the single preferred scheme is announced in November, we need to understand the specifics of its impact on our exact neighbourhood.
- Contact Heathrow: The Community Relations Team contact details are vital: 0800 307 7996 or by email. Use them to demand clarity on blight and the potential for a Wider Property Offer Zone.
The government is committed to “getting Britain building,” but we must ensure that commitment doesn’t mean our community is simply bulldozed out of the way. We need to hold them to their word on the “rigorous tests” for noise, air quality, and climate change, and ensure our community genuinely benefits.