Rachel Reeves' dashboard for growth was given a blow today, because it would appear a new runway at Heathrow, would probably take at least ten years to open.
The Chancellor has put the building of a third Heathrow landing track in the heart of its plan to stimulate the economy in the midst of Flatline growth and business trust after her disastrous budget.
But sources said it would probably take ten years – and probably longer – before a new runway was operational, turbulent hope for an economic boost at any time.
It came when the Tories accused Mrs. Reeves of the use of airport expansion as a gimmick to 'divert attention' from the tank economy.
The Chancellor is expected to support her support for expansion in Heathrow, together with Gatwick and Luton Airports tomorrow, confirms in a big speech about growth.
During a debate in the commons today, the spokesperson for the Tories 'Transport Gareth Bacon said that the expansion plans seemed to be a' panic and hurried attempt by the treasury Chancellor to divert attention from the state of the economy, which Currently below this. Sparteling Labor government. '
He added that the Tories support the expansion of the airport because of the 'enormous economic benefits that would bring', but added: 'A completed third runway at Heathrow would undoubtedly provide economic benefits that we would support, but the Delivering it will not be easy because there are major logistics barriers for its construction. '
Aviation sources said it would probably take at least a decade to get a new Heathrow start track going, with the airport still to bring a definitive development assignment (DCO) together.
Rachel Reeves is expected to confirm her support tomorrow for expansion in Heathrow, together with Gatwick and Luton Airports, in a big speech about growth
The Chancellor Plan to build a third runway in Heathrow (photo) received a new blow after it was revealed that it would probably take at least 10 years to open
During a debate in the commons today, the spokesperson for the Tories Gareth Bacon of Tories said that the expansion plans seemed to be a 'panic and hurried attempt by the treasury Chancellor to dismiss attention from the state of the economy'
Once ready this would be submitted to the planning inspection, which will advise transport secretary Heidi Alexander on whether or not to approve.
Although she is likely to approve it, it will almost certainly cause a new lawsuit on whether extension would be in accordance with the climate change laws.
Heathrow has already won one lawsuit, with the ruling of the Supreme Court in 2020 that it can submit a DCO. But a decision by Mrs. Alexander to approve such a schedule would give rise to a new opportunity for climate campaigners to launch a judicial assessment whether it is compatible with the existing legislation on reducing carbon emissions.
One source said: “We don't know what the timetable of the government is, but we were talking about setting the DCO to completing a runway that is about ten years old.”
The Labor Government has sworn to revise and streamline the judicial assessment process, but it is unclear whether it would request for such large infrastructure projects.
It is, however, understood that the airport will not submit DCO, unless further changes are made to the regime for the costs that airlines charge to use the HUB and create new flight paths for aircraft to land.
At the moment, landings and starts in Heathrow have been filled with 480,000 a year .. But a third runway can increase this to 720,000.
DCOs have already been submitted for Gatwick and Luton, with Mrs. Alexander to make decisions about whether or not to approve of 27 February and 3 April respectively.
It means that expansion could happen faster with these hubs. However, they can also be challenged by campaigners in the courts.
