Policy information sourced from The London Plan 2021

T8 Aviation

The Mayor supports the role of the airports serving London in enhancing the city’s spatial growth, particularly within Opportunity Areas well connected to the airports by public transport and which can accommodate significant numbers of new homes and jobs. This should be reflected in relevant Development Plans and other area-based strategies.

The environmental and health impacts of aviation must be fully acknowledged and aviation-related development proposals should include mitigation measures that fully meet their external and environmental costs, particularly in respect of noise, air quality and climate change. Any airport expansion scheme must be appropriately assessed and if required demonstrate that there is an overriding public interest or no suitable alternative solution with fewer environmental impacts.

The Mayor will oppose the expansion of Heathrow Airport unless it can be shown that no additional noise or air quality harm would result, and that the benefits of future regulatory and technology improvements would be fairly shared with affected communities.

All airport expansion development proposals that would impact on passenger movements through London should demonstrate how public transport and other surface access networks would accommodate resulting increases in demand alongside forecast background growth; this should include credible plans by the airport for funding and delivery of the required infrastructure.

Development proposals that would lead to changes in airport operations or air traffic movements must take full account of their environmental impacts and the views of affected communities. Any changes to London’s airspace must treat London’s major airports equitably when airspace is allocated.

Development proposals should make better use of existing airport capacity, underpinned by upgraded passenger and freight facilities and improved surface access links, in particular rail.

Airport operators should work closely with airlines, Transport for London and other transport providers and stakeholders to ensure straightforward,

seamless and integrated connectivity and to improve facilities and inclusive access. They should also increase the proportion of journeys passengers and staff make by sustainable means such as rail, bus and cycling, and minimise the environmental impacts of airport servicing and onward freight transport.

Development proposals relating to general and business aviation activity should only be supported if they would not lead to additional environmental harm or negative effects on health, nor impact on scheduled flight operations. Any significant shift in the mix of operations using an airport – for example, the introduction of scheduled flights at airports not generally offering such flights – should be refused.

New heliports should be refused, other than for emergency services.