Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement

I am today updating the House on the Government’s review of the airports national policy statement and the next stage in that process.

In October 2025 I announced that the Government would review the ANPS to support the delivery of additional airport capacity at Heathrow airport. In November 2025 I confirmed the Government’s decision to use the north-west runway scheme promoted by Heathrow Airport Ltd to inform that review.

I can today confirm that the Government have completed our review and are launching a public consultation on a draft revised national policy statement—now renamed the Heathrow expansion national policy statement—to clarify that it applies only to Heathrow expansion and its associated infrastructure.

This delivers on the commitment I made to consult on an amended policy statement by summer 2026 and marks another important milestone in the Government’s ambition for a decision on development consent application within this Parliament.

Heathrow is the United Kingdom’s only hub airport. It connects businesses to global markets, supports trade and tourism, and plays a vital role in the movement of passengers and freight. Heathrow has operated at or near capacity for many years and demand for aviation is expected to continue growing in the decades ahead. Expansion therefore has the potential to improve connectivity, strengthen resilience and support economic growth across the United Kingdom, with better connections and a third runway capable of boosting the UK economy and supporting more than 60,000 jobs.

The draft HENPS provides the planning policy framework against which any future application for expansion at Heathrow airport would be considered. It sets out the Government’s assessment of the need for additional airport capacity at Heathrow, explains why the north-west runway scheme has informed the review, and establishes the requirements that any future proposal would need to satisfy.

This document does not grant development consent, and nor does it approve any specific expansion scheme. Any application would remain subject to the statutory development consent order process, including independent examination by the Planning Inspectorate.

However, it is an important milestone and step forward. The review has considered developments since the ANPS was designated in 2018, including updated aviation forecasts, changes in legislation and wider Government policy. It has also considered how the Government’s four tests for Heathrow expansion should be applied.

On Economic Growth: Expansion must deliver a credible and meaningful contribution to UK-wide economic growth, supported by a clear plan for how benefits—for example, jobs, productivity and connectivity—will be realised.

On Carbon: The scheme must be compatible with the UK’s legally binding climate targets, including carbon budgets and net zero.

On Air Quality: Expansion must not cause new breaches of legal air quality limits, taking account of appropriate mitigation.

On Noise: Impacts must be limited so that noise is no worse than current levels—2024 baseline—with reductions where possible, supported by effective mitigation.

As set out in the draft HENPS, the Government consider that the development covered by the Heathrow expansion NPS is critical to national growth and therefore plan to designate expansion at Heathrow as critical national growth infrastructure. This is a signal of the importance the Government place on the need for expansion and will be an important additional factor in the planning balance.

On surface access—how passengers and staff travel to and from the airport—the draft HENPS requires promoters to demonstrate how increased passenger demand would be accommodated on the transport network and how any necessary road and rail improvements would be delivered. We are publishing a surface access vision document alongside this to set our expectations.

Alongside the draft HENPS, the Government are also today publishing an updated appraisal of sustainability, habitats regulations assessment and other supporting documents.

The Government are committed to ensuring that decisions are informed by robust evidence and meaningful public engagement. The consultation on the draft HENPS will run for over 10 weeks, closing on 1 September 2026. Alongside the consultation, a nominated parliamentary Select Committee will undertake parliamentary scrutiny on the draft HENPS.

This consultation provides an important opportunity for local communities, businesses, local authorities, environmental organisations and other interested parties to provide their views before any final decision is taken.

Following the consultation, the Government will carefully consider all responses and the parliamentary Select Committee’s report before deciding whether to designate an amended national policy statement. Any amended HENPS will be published and laid in Parliament and will be subject to a vote in this House prior to having legal effect.

The consultation on the draft HENPS forms part of a wider programme of work to support a modern, resilient and sustainable aviation sector.

The Civil Aviation Authority continues to develop the regulatory framework that would apply to any future expansion proposal, with a focus on affordability, financeability, cost-efficiency and consumer protection. The Government will continue to work closely with the regulator as it develops its approach, while respecting the regulator’s independence. The CAA anticipates publishing its final decision on recovery of early costs and direction of travel on preferred regulatory model this summer.

The Government are also progressing our airspace modernisation programme and will shortly publish updated air navigation directions and guidance to support a more efficient, cleaner and quieter aviation system. Airspace modernisation is needed irrespective of the planned runway expansion. Its purpose is to make UK airspace more efficient, resilient, quieter and cleaner—not to provide a shortcut to airport expansion.

Alongside this consultation, the Government are announcing a review of the jet zero strategy, with an updated strategy to be published in early 2027. This review will consider the latest evidence on aviation decarbonisation and assess progress in delivering existing commitments.

The Civil Aviation (Consumer Protection and Regulatory Reform) Bill, which is separate from the Heathrow expansion programme, will support growth, strengthen consumer protections and modernise the regulatory framework for the aviation sector more widely.

I will update the House on the outcome of the consultation and parliamentary scrutiny process in due course.

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