Prime Minister David Cameron is going to announce a "formal consultation" on plans for a new airport in the Thames Estuary within weeks, The Telegraph is reporting.
Cameron is expected to offer his provisional support for a scheme originally proposed by Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London.
The Government had planned to announce preliminary backing for the scheme on January 3, with feasibility studies beginning in the spring. The announcement was expected to be linked to plans for a second high-speed rail line as part of the Government’s long-term vision for Britain’s transport infrastructure.
According to the paper, Johnson has advocated building an airport on a man-made island in the Thames Estuary to cope with the growing pressure on other London facilities. He claims that without providing more airport capacity, the capital will lose jobs as businesses relocate elsewhere in Europe.
Environmental campaigners, on the other hand, claim that the airport will boost global warming emissions and endanger wildlife.
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