Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the long-term environmental impacts for the Thames Valley region following the construction of the proposed north-west runway at Heathrow Airport.

Natural England has a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL), to provide them with pre-application advice in relation to the proposed airport expansion. The advice being provided to Heathrow is being led and coordinated by the Thames Area Team.

The potential impacts from the proposed expansion of Heathrow airport, to the Thames Valley, and the avoidance, mitigation, and compensation measures required to address them, are the focus of Natural England’s detailed advice to HAL. This advice can be broadly categorised into the following:

1. Environmental impacts related to transport emissions
2. Direct impacts to habitats and species
3. Impacts to local and nationally designated landscapes
4. Impacts to public open space and green infrastructure

Natural England are working closely with Heathrow Airport Limited to ensure they submit sufficient information as part of their Development Consent Order application, to enable the Secretary of State to take a view as to the environmental impacts of the proposed expansion.

Additionally the Environment Agency (EA) has provided a response to HAL’s Preliminary Environmental Information report and continue to be in discussion over their proposals as they form their EA and Statement of Common Ground.

The application stage for the Development Consent Order is expected in Autumn 2020. We expect more details about HAL’s proposals to be shared with the EA at this stage which will enable them to make an informed judgement.