Green light for night-flights legal challenge

8.04.06pm GMT Fri 16th Feb 2007

A Judicial Review is to be launched by local authorities, including Richmond upon Thames, in an effort to overturn the current night-flights regime at Heathrow airport.

A High Court Judge, Mr Justice Sullivan, gave permission for the legal challenge to go ahead. It is set to be heard in the High Court in May or June. If successful, the Government could be forced to scrap the current night-flights regime at the airport. The Judicial Review is being spearheaded by Councils belonging to the new 2M Group of local authorities representing 2 million residents affected by Heathrow expansion. In addition to Richmond upon Thames, they include Wandsworth, Hounslow, Hillingdon, Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham.

Leader of Richmond upon Thames Council, Cllr Serge Lourie, said:

"I am delighted the Judge has given permission for the legal challenge to be heard. This marks another step on the road towards an eventual ban on night-flights and halting Heathrow expansion. Our aim is to prove the current night-flights regime is fatally flawed. In our view, some very noisy aircraft are misclassified; the way landing noise is calculated is artificially reduced; the proposals breach the Government's policy of "bearing down on noise"; and the Court itself needs to assess the interference with the human rights of residents. The size of the 2M Group is a tremendous strength, embracing many local authorities within London and outside its boundaries. The opposition to Heathrow expansion is gathering momentum fast, and the Government will know it has a real fight on its hands."