Heathrow Airport has released a new report summing up it’s arguments as to why it is the best expansion option for the UK delivering more jobs and more economic growth, shared, it says, more fairly across the UK than any other option.
The report aims to serves as a reminder to the Airport Commission that Heathrow believes its expansion is financially and environmentally deliverable, pointing to the growing local support and backing across all UK’s nations and regions.
The report says, among other things, that the Airports Commission calculate that the economic benefit of Heathrow expansion is up to £211bn, almost £100bn more than choosing Gatwick, and that their research says that the majority of the benefits will be felt outside London and the South East, contributing to rebalancing the UK economy with up to £114bn of economic benefits going to regions outside London and the South East.
It also says that the Airport Commission has assessed that Heathrow could deliver over 41,000 more jobs for local residents at the airport by 2030 with expansion. 10,000 apprenticeships would also be created, say the Airport.
In particular it says that expansion at Heathrow is backed by over 30 local Chambers of Commerce from every region and nation across the UK, the CBI, as well as the IoD’s members, and major UK businesses.
The report also includes the Airports local opinion survey which suggested that in ten constituencies around Heathrow 50% of people support expansion, compared to 33% who oppose it.
John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow CEO said: “There is a growing support for Heathrow expansion across the UK.
“If we receive policy support from the Airport Commission, we have the opportunity to create the world’s best connected and sustainable hub airport- delivering economic benefits and jobs to all of the UK. The time has come to be ambitious and get on with it.”
