Heathrow Airport’s planned third runway is facing a four-year delay due to planning and regulatory issues.
Heathrow executives have reportedly told ministers that the current 2035 deadline is unachievable, with completion now expected no earlier than 2039, according to The Times.
The airport warned that meeting the deadline would be difficult without further changes to streamline the planning process. It hoped to secure planning permission by 2029, with the new runway to open within a decade.
Last week, climate advisers warned that the expansion would not be compatible with the UK’s 2050 nett-zero target and should only go ahead if airlines were required to pay for cleaner flying.
