Consultation on Heathrow flights finally launched

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If accepted, the proposals could see a huge increase in the number of flights over London's skies within two years.

The consultation was pledged earlier this year but was reportedly delayed amid concerns the environmental case for expansion had not been made.

The first stage of the consultation will look at increasing the number of aircraft using the two existing runways. Ministers want to see if the airport could still meet environmental standards if it changed to "mixed mode" where both runways would be used simultaneously; one for planes to take-off, the other to land.

The second stage of the proposals involves building a third runway. If these plans were adopted the number of flights would rise from 480,000 to 720,000 by the end of the next decade.

Heathrow is now operating at 99 per cent of its permitted capacity, with 477,000 flights scheduled this year.

If the new runway gets the green light the airport would have to meet strict standards on noise, air quality and local public transport. A new runway would not open until at least 2015, but if the consultation recommends changing to "mixed mode", residents under the flightpath could notice the frequency of planes increase within two years.

Campaigners fear the consultation will be a sham, with information presented in a way best designed to make the case for expansion. The Evening Standard revealed this summer that Department for Transport officials and BAA are holding near weekly meetings to discuss the consultation.

Last week it was disclosed ministers were planning to use the year Concorde was last in service as a benchmark for noise levels, making it easier to claim there will be no rise in noise pollution as a result of expansion. Protesters say BAA needs to solve the airport's overcrowding problem before enlarging it.