UK's top court 'to give Heathrow expansion plan the green light'

Lawyer in the case breaks court embargo to protest against decision

An artist's impression shows what Heathrow Airport would look like after the addition of a third runway. AFP

The UK’s Supreme Court will give the Heathrow Airport expansion plan the go-ahead on Wednesday, a lawyer in the case said.

The decision would put the £14 billion ($19 billion) plan to build a third runway back on track after years of legal wrangling.

The plan was declared unlawful on environmental grounds by the Court of Appeal in February, but England’s top court will overturn this decision, lawyer Tim Crosland said.

Mr Crosland, who is campaigning against the expansion, said he was acting in contempt of court by announcing the verdict before the court had officially handed it down.

“I have taken the decision to break the embargo on that decision as an act of civil disobedience,” he said on Twitter.

“This will be treated as a ‘contempt of court’ and I am ready to face the consequences. I have no choice but to protest the deep immorality of the Court’s ruling.”

Heathrow, west of London, is Britain's biggest airport and prior to the pandemic was the busiest flight centre in Europe.

During the crisis, it lost that crown to Paris but it still wants to expand, setting it up to benefit from the post-pandemic travel recovery.