AS the new Labour Government ponders whether or not to support a third Heathrow runway, opponents are confident it would be at least 10-15 years away if given the nod.

In fact, campaigners say airport expansion plans would never meet four tests Labour would use to determine its decision.

A Downing Street spokesperson says Heathrow must comply with “being consistent with our binding climate change obligations” as well as “around noise pollution and air pollution”.

The four tests have been Labour Party policy for some years, since the Airports Commission issued a report in 2015, which supported a third runway.

However, Labour declared in 2020 the third runway did not meet the tests.

Sir Keir Starmer, who voted against a third runway in a parliamentary vote in 2018, said two years later: “There is no more important challenge than the climate emergency. That is why I voted against.”

Campaigners against the third runway at Heathrow say any expansion plans would likely not be decided in this Parliament.

If Heathrow submitted a fresh plan for expansion right away, it would take an estimated 4-5 years just to reach a final recommendation from the Planning Inspectorate.

The Government who would then make a decision before up to a decade of construction work began.

Paul McGuinness, chair of the No 3rd Runway Coalition, said: “With a third runway so far away in the future, it seems the Government should instead focus on building a truly national aviation strategy, which considers all the UK’s regions and nations, instead of continuing to support the Airports National Policy Statement.

“With the increased cost of carbon arising from the project, any economic benefits would be easily cancelled out.

 “We are confident Labour’s four tests cannot be met – not now or ever."