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Green light for new 'eco-friendly' Heathrow terminal (Pic: PA)
Planning permission for a £1.5 billion "environmentally sensitive" redevelopment of the UK's biggest airport was granted today.
The go-ahead for a new terminal at Heathrow airport in west London was given by London Mayor Ken Livingstone and Hillingdon Council.
The new terminal, called Heathrow East, will replace the existing Terminals 1 and 2, with the first phase of the work expected to be completed in time for the London Olympics in 2012.
Airport operator BAA today boasted of the "green" credentials of the new terminal and said the planning go-ahead was "great news for passengers".
Mr Livingstone said all the parties had agreed on a scheme "that puts energy efficiency and renewables at the heart of plans for a new Heathrow terminal".
Heathrow East is part of a £6.2 billion, 10-year investment programme to transform Heathrow.
This includes the opening of Terminal 5 in March 2008, a refurbishment of Terminal 4 and the eventual demolition of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.
BAA chief executive Tony Douglas said today: "I'm delighted that we've got the green light for Heathrow East. This is great news for passengers. By June 2012, most of our passengers will be travelling through terminal facilities that aren't even open today and we will have either re-built or redeveloped all our other terminals.
"Heathrow will be like a new airport for London."
Mr Livingstone said: "I'm very pleased we've been able to agree a plan that puts energy efficiency and renewables at the heart of plans for a new Heathrow terminal, and that we've secured a commitment to address the energy demand of the airport as a whole.
"The challenges associated with climate change will define how our city develops in the coming decades and, as the gateway between our city and the world, it is right that Heathrow airport leads the way in meeting those challenges."
Copyright Press Association 2007.
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