Opinion: What will the expansion of Heathrow mean for the UK economy?

Clive Memmott, chief executive of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce gives his views.

After 50 years of indecision, the government last week endorsed airport expansion in the South East with the announcement that a new £14 billion runway may be built in the next eight years.

Does this mean that one of the longest-running disputes in British politics is finally coming to an end?

Planning permission.

A Parliamentary process has been kick-started to give planning permission for the two-mile runway. The airport’s national policy statement sets out the conditions that the scheme has to meet, and MPs will vote on the plan within 21 days.

The policy statement does not spell out how much taxpayers’ money will have to be spent on expanding road and rail access to cope with the enormous increase to 740,000 flights a year (currently 480,000 per year).

By Lucy Roue.
Full story at Manchester Evening News.