New Heathrow Airport expansion plans have been unveiled with major hotel tycoon Surinder Arora pitching a rival proposal that doesn’t involve work on the M25. Part of the new proposal, which has a cost estimate of under £25billion, would see the introduction of a shorter new runway at the UK’s busiest airport, which would avoid the need to divert the M25, easing a potential headache for officials.
Heathrow Airport will submit its official plan lter today (Thursday) but has previously suggested it would look to re-route the busiest motorway in the country. A new section of tunnel would be built at junctions 14 and 15, running underneath the new runway. The Airports Commission previously suggested a tunnel could add around £500million to the cost of expansion. But there are fears costs could overrun, possibly adding more than £1billion to the total bill.
However, The Arora Group claims that building a 2,800-metre third runway instead of the full-length 3,500-metre runway could solve the issue.
Surinder Arora explained: “After a decade working with our world-leading design and delivery team, I am very proud that the Arora Group can finally unveil to the UK government our Heathrow West proposal.
“The Arora Group has a proven track record of delivering on-time and on-budget projects including in and around Heathrow airport.
“We are delighted that the government has taken a common-sense approach to invite proposals from all interested parties for the very first time rather than granting exclusivity to the current airport operator, no matter its track record.”
The Airports National Policy Statement previously claimed that Heathrow expansion should have a runway length of at least 3,500m. It means the new short runway may have limitations on the size of aircraft which can use it, although according to the BBC, Arora Group insists this would not be an issue.
The latest plan suggests the new runway at the UK’s busiest airport could be open from 2035 with a new terminal fully operational by 2040. The Heathrow Expansion could see hundreds of thousands of extra flights get off the ground every 12 months.
The total number could rise from 480,000 per year to 720,000, which works out at almost 2,000 additional services per day. The Labour Government has thrown its support behind a third runway at Heathrow, claiming the work will create over 100,000 jobs in the local area.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves previously said: “I have always been clear that a third runway at Heathrow would unlock further growth, boost investment, increase exports, and make the UK more open and more connected as part of our Plan for Change.”