Decades of deliberation and three years’ worth of inquiry later, a recommendation has finally been reached (although how conclusive such a recommendation will be is yet to be ascertained) by the UK Airports Commission. South East England’s additional aviation capacity should be provided for via a third runway at Heathrow, with Gatwick losing out in this bid to expand.

Yesterday (01 July 2015), Sir Howard Davies and his fellow members of the Airports Commission unanimously decided – in the Airports Commission: final report – that Heathrow’s proposal for an additional runway, to be situated north-west of the existing two, is the most profitable and commercially-sound way to tackle the issue of aviation expansion. The Commission believe Heathrow to be technically feasible, with an expansion plan which would not involve massive, invested infrastructure (unlike Gatwick). It has been recognised and accepted that the costs involved will be high, but Davies suggests these are financeable by the private sector.

Expansion of Heathrow has been recommended before, although subsequently disregarded in the face of intense local opposition. This time around, the Commission advises a ‘comprehensive package of accompanying measures’, making the expansion, it is hoped, more tolerable to Londoners. The package includes a ban on flights at night, a statutory independent aviation noise authority and a noise levy to fund compensation and mitigation schemes.

Unsurprisingly London Mayor and Uxbridge MP, Boris Johnson has been one of the first to voice his disapproval – Johnson had proposed the relocation of Heathrow into the Thames Estuary, a somewhat outlandish idea dubbed ‘Boris Island’ by the media. Conservative mayoral favourite and Johnson’s potential successor, Zac Goldsmith MP, has also come out against a new runway, suggesting that the figures for Heathrow expansion just ‘don’t add up’. Additionally, his Richmond Park constituency already has to endure aeroplane noise from the majority of flights using Heathrow’s southern runway.

Such opposition by David Cameron’s highest flyers will undoubtedly present the Prime Minister with a political headache – made all the more severe by Labour backing the Davies’ findings and supporting a ‘quick decision’ on Heathrow, in the interest of the UK economy.

With Gatwick defiant in defeat, their Chief Executive Stewart Wingate believes Gatwick presents a plausible case for expansion, and Cameron having pledged in 2009 that there would be no new runway at Heathrow – ‘no ifs, no buts, no third runway’, this final report may not necessarily signal the end of the debate. We find out if the Government will commit to a decision on the third runway in December this year.