Hillingdon's Conservative leader says the council's opposition to a third runway is unchanged, a day after his national party backed it. What happens next.

Hillingdon Council’s Conservative leader has publicly split from his own party over Heathrow. Cllr Steve Tuckwell said on Tuesday 6 October that the council’s opposition to a third runway “is resolute and has not changed”.

The council says he spoke out the day after the national Conservative Party announced that it supports plans for a third runway (Hillingdon Council).

Cllr Tuckwell sits for South Ruislip as a Conservative and leads the Conservative-run council (councillors by party). He describes Hillingdon as “Heathrow’s host borough”.

What the leader said

His statement makes three points.

  • The policy stays. “Opposition to Heathrow expansion remains the clear, longstanding, cross-party policy of Hillingdon Council, regardless of the position taken by the national Conservative Party.”
  • Residents carry the cost. “Our residents already live with the effects of the airport every day, on their homes, roads, environment and quality of life. They are the people who would be expected to carry the consequences of a third runway.”
  • Growth, but not at any price. He said the council recognises Heathrow’s “significant contribution” to the local and national economy. “But growth cannot come at any cost.”

On his party, he said: “The national Conservative Party is entitled to set out its position. My responsibility as Leader of Hillingdon Council is equally clear: to put our residents first and represent their interests.”

Where the runway plans stand

The government already backs a third runway, and two rival schemes have been put forward, according to the council’s Heathrow expansion page:

  • Heathrow Airport Limited’s proposal
  • Heathrow West Limited’s proposal

A third runway counts as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. That means the Transport Secretary makes the decision, advised by the Planning Inspectorate. The council is not the decision maker. Its role is as an interested party, and it says it will seek “the strongest possible mitigation”.

The council has already acted twice this year. On 9 June it wrote to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander asking her to stop assessing the two schemes at the same time. Last month it submitted its response to the draft Heathrow policy statement. We covered that response, including its attack on a £3,000 noise insulation offer, in our September report.

What it means for you

  • Nothing changes in the council’s stance. The leader says the council will “continue to make the strongest possible case against expansion”.
  • The decision sits in Whitehall. If you want a say on either scheme, respond to the developers’ own engagement exercises. The council lists contact details for both on its Heathrow expansion page.
  • The council will not run that engagement. It says plainly that it “cannot control how the engagement process is structured or run”.

Sources