Heathrow Airport Pollution Obstacle to New Runway Construction Plan

Plans to build a third runway at London's Heathrow Airport must be scuttled as the end result will be increased pollution and noise levels, according to the results of a governmental Environmental Audit Committee report published Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On July 1, an Airport Commission final report recommended constructing a third runway at Heathrow. British Prime Minister David Cameron said a decision on the construction would be made by the end of the year.

"Meeting legal limits and protecting health and well-being are vital. The Government should be clear that significant deterioration in air quality on the roads leading to Heathrow will not be permitted <…>" the report said.

The parliamentary report called on the UK government to ban night flights as Heathrow does not meet the required noise targets.

According to the government-sponsored environmental report, London may exceed its climate change pledges with regard to current aviation pollution levels, paving the way to legal claims.

The project to build a third runway for the UK's largest airport is estimated to represent a cost of some $27.3 billion, as well as the demolition of nearly 1,000 homes. The proposed third runway has caused repeated protests among local residents and environmental organizations.