Heathrow To Limit Environmental Impact Of New Runway

London's Heathrow Airport, seeking government permission to build an additional runway, said it would comply with an extended ban on night flights and meet European air quality rules if the project gets the go-ahead.

Heathrow is operating at full capacity and has been campaigning for 25 years for approval to build a third runway, but political wrangling, objections from local residents in west London and environmentalists have prevented expansion.

A government-appointed Airports Commission last year named Heathrow as the preferred site for an additional runway in London, setting out a number of conditions to help win over opponents.

Heathrow faces competition from London Gatwick, which also wants to build a new runway.

Transport minister Patrick McLoughlin said in February that a decision on airport expansion could come by the end of July.

The issue is a divisive one for Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative government, already split over next month's referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union.

Heathrow said on Wednesday that it would comply with all 11 conditions set out by the Airports Commission, including a key requirement on air quality which stated that new flights would only be permitted if air quality did not breach EU limits.

Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye wrote to Prime Minister Cameron to say that the airport's plan to comply with the Commission's conditions should help him back the project.

"We have acted now to let you and your government make the right choice. It will enable you to choose Heathrow," the CEO wrote in his letter to Cameron.

Heathrow's largest shareholder is Spanish infrastructure firm Ferrovial. Other partners include Qatar Holding, China Investment and the Government of Singapore Investment.

Under the proposals, Heathrow said that flights would start from 05:30 local time, an hour later than at present, offering some respite to residents disturbed by the noise of planes flying over their homes.

Opposition MP Mary Creagh, who chairs parliament's Environmental Audit Committee, said that the airport needed to do more.

"Heathrow's proposals to tackle air pollution need to go much further much faster. Promises on future rail links and air pollution charges are 7-10 years away," she said in a statement.