The UK government has opened consultation on the draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement, the planning document that will shape any future third-runway application. The process runs for more than 10 weeks and closes on 1 September, with a final planning decision targeted for 2029.
The framework tests expansion against economic growth, climate compatibility, air quality and noise. Ministers say any scheme must avoid new air-quality breaches, stay within legally binding climate limits and keep noise no worse than current levels where possible. The statement does not grant consent; it sets the policy base for later parliamentary scrutiny and a possible development application.
For Heathrow, the consultation now moves the project into a more formal planning phase.