Campaigners set for High Court as Heathrow judicial review begins today (From Hounslow And Brentford Times)

Campaigners set for High Court as Heathrow judicial review begins today

12:10am Tuesday 23rd February 2010

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Campaigners were set to take on the Government today in a High Court battle over a third runway at Heathrow.

Thirteen organisations opposed to the project, including redsidents’ groups, councils, Greenpeace and the RSPB, will argue their case at a judicial review.

Their lawyers will say the Government’s approval of the runway was unlawful because it failed to properly consult on the proposals, and its national climate change targets will be undermined by expansion.

A string of celebrity campaigners have joined opponents of the proposals.

Comedian Alistair McGowan said: “I hope that the ministers who wouldn't listen to already suffering west Londoners, highly respected climate scientists or battling local councils will listen to the courts.

“I don't want to end up having to fend off BAA with a pitchfork and a large bull."

Leader of Hillingdon Council Ray Puddifoot, speaking on behalf of the 2M coalition of councils, said: “We’ve had no choice but to go to court to sort out the mess left behind by a decision that was little more than a quick fix.”

Martin Harper, head of sustainable development for the RSPB, said: "Climate change threatens many species with extinction and we are already seeing its impacts with catastrophic declines in seabird numbers in parts of the north sea. It is right that a bad decision such as this should be challenged.”

Pete Lockley, head of transport policy for WWF UK, said: "A third runway will make it much more difficult to achieve our carbon reduction targets and doesn't justify its cost, in economic or environmental terms.”

John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace, added: “We’ve made it clear from the start of the Government’s consultation that it was a deeply flawed process.

“Twenty-five thousand people responded to the consultation opposing the idea, yet the Government said yes. That gives a clear demonstration of how much they value the views of Londoners.

“Now we’ve got the chance to submit this laughable process to legal scrutiny, and we don’t expect the courts to be any more impressed by it than we were.”

A spokeswoman for the Department for Transport said: “The Department stands fully behind the decisions on Heathrow announced last year and will be defending them robustly in court.”

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