Back Heathrow has responded to the start of the legal proceedings by several local authorities against Heathrow expansion with a clear message.

Executive Director of Back Heathrow Parmjit Dhanda said: "This project has been on the starting blocks for decades, and it’s now time to get on and build it. There have been no new runways built in London or the South-East of England since the Second World War, and our airports are full to capacity.

"The new runway project has the capacity to create up to 180,000 new jobs and 10,000 apprenticeships, as well the chance to create new prosperity at a financially challenging time for our country.

“Most importantly, we know from independent polling that more local people support the project than oppose it, and MPs from both sides have backed it by a majority of 296. The time is right and the process has been robust. We hope the courts will back democracy and back the needs of our country and let Heathrow create the jobs and prosperity the country needs."

Back Heathrow is a grassroots organisation of over 100,000 local people who want to see a bigger, better and environmentally sustainable Heathrow airport, true to the recommendations of the 2015 Independent Airport's Commission report.