Heathrow's third runway delayed until 2039

Heathrow’s long-awaited third runway has been pushed back by four years, with a new target date of 2039. Airport bosses told the government that meeting the current 2035 deadline isn’t feasible, a shift likely to complicate Labour’s growth plans as the party’s annual conference begins in Liverpool. The 2035 date was set last January by then-chancellor Rachel Reeves, who also said the expansion would create 100,000 jobs. Heathrow says it aims to secure planning permission by 2029, after which the runway could open within a decade. The government did not comment on consultations, while Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the project must fit climate commitments.