Judge orders Government rethink on plan to build third Heathrow runway

A coalition of local councils, green groups and residents argued that the expansion decision was at odds with the UK's overall climate change targets.

The coalition includes six local authorities, Greenpeace and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).

Lord Justice Carnwath, sitting in London, upheld their argument that the Government's policy support for a third runway, made in 2003 and confirmed in January last year, will need to be looked at again, particularly in respect of climate change policy and surface access.

The coalition said in a joint statement that the Government's Heathrow policy "is in tatters this morning".

The statement said: "If the Government wants to pursue its plans for Heathrow expansion, it must now go back to square one and reconsider the entire case for the runway."

Hayes and Harlington Labour MP John McDonnell, who has led the campaign against the expansion of Heathrow for the last 30 years, said: "In essence, this judgment means that the game is up for a third runway at Heathrow and I am calling upon the Government to accept the inevitable and lift this threat to my community."

He went on: "What we need now is a sensible approach to developing a sustainable transport policy based upon high-speed rail. This judgment is a victory. It means that whichever party is in government, they will not now be able to force through Heathrow expansion."

But Gordon Brown insisted expanding Heathrow Airport was still the "right decision" to help "secure jobs and underpin economic growth".

"It is entirely compatible with our carbon reduction targets, as demonstrated by the recent report by the independent committee on climate change," he told reporters in Brussels.

Mr Brown insisted the Government had backed an extra runway "only after a detailed assessment showing that the strict environmental limits for expansion could be met".

"We have always made clear that normal planning process would still need to be followed before a runway could be built," he added. "We are taking seriously both the concerns that people have and the need for public consultation.

"But we took a tough decision, the right decision necessary for the future of Britain and the economy, and a new runway will help secure Britain's economic future."