ALL six legal challenges brought against backing by MPs for a third runway at Heathrow can go to a full hearing, the Courts of Justice ruled today.  

The hearing will be over two weeks in March in front of two judges.  

Heathrow campaigner John Stewart, of HACAN said: “This is a blow to the Government.  At best, it probably thought it would just need to defend two or three of the challenges.  Now it faces all six.”

Back Heathrow executive director Parmjit Dhanda responded:  "We welcome the rigorous process this crucial scheme is undergoing.

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“Our 100,000 local supporters have backed the project through years of consultation.

“Off the back of that and the clear evidence that a new runway will create 180,000 new jobs, reduce the number of people affected by noise and meet the EU's air quality obligations, Parliament backed it with a majority of nearly 300 MPs in June.

“Local people and the democratic process have spoken and we're very confident this will be backed up by the courts formally through this judicial process.”