Airport chefs from the government backed the £19 billion scheme to expand Heathrow, which is apparently ‘the best answer’ to easing the pressure on British airports.
According to Sir Howard Davies, the new runway will create 70,000 jobs by 2050, and will mean great things for the British economy.
It is also apparently essential, to ensure UK airports can continue to serve demand.
But the villages of Harmondsworth, Longford and Sipson have been hit hard by this news, as hundreds of homes will have to be demolished to make way for the new landing strip.
It will also cause problems for David Cameron, who in 2009 promised that he would not back a new runway at Heathrow, something he was supported in by London Mayor Boris Johnson.
On top of the beloved homes that will be lost in the surrounding villages, a Grade II listed building, the Harmondsworth Great Barn, will also be affected - which dates back to the 15th century.
John Longworth, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said the final decision now lies with the Prime Minister, though he will find it tough to avoid building a new runway.
‘The ball is now firmly in the government’s court. If ministers duck this decision, and delay airport expansion for yet another generation, British businesses and our overall competitiveness will pay the price.’
Sipson village, who have been fighting against plans for a third runway for over a decade, has been left a shell of its former self after over half its residents, tired of campaigning, have sold their homes to BAA.
Local butcher Gerald Storr said: ‘There’s an almost tangible feeling of doom and desolation. People have given up and moved away.’
Meanwhile Joan Willoughby, who has lived in Sipson for 34 years, said: ‘BAA have killed the village. It’s not a village any more - it’s just roads and houses.’