Surinder Arora’s bid for Heathrow Airport’s £33bn third runway plan rejected

Businessman Surinder Arora has had his rival proposal for Heathrow Airport’s third runway dismissed, as authorities backed the airport’s own £33 billion expansion plan.

The approved scheme involves the construction of a 3,500‑metre runway alongside major works to reroute the M25 motorway. Arora had put forward an alternative design featuring a shorter 2,800‑metre runway that would have avoided moving the motorway, but officials concluded that Heathrow’s blueprint was the more credible and deliverable option.

The project will require extensive engineering, including new tunnels and bridges, and is expected to be privately funded. It also entails the demolition of hundreds of homes, sparking concerns among local residents.

Arora’s rejected plan argued it would minimise disruption, but Heathrow countered that it would have led to greater residential loss. The decision marks a significant victory for Heathrow Airport Limited, which has long campaigned for expansion to meet rising passenger demand.

The third runway remains subject to planning approval and parliamentary scrutiny, but the government’s endorsement sets the course for one of the UK’s largest infrastructure projects in decades.