Arora Group Unveils Heathrow West Expansion Proposal and Timeline

(UNITED KINGDOM) The Arora Group has filed a rival expansion plan for Heathrow, setting up a rare head-to-head contest that could reshape the country’s main gateway for global travel and future labor flows. The plan, branded Heathrow Airport West, was formally submitted to the UK Department for Transport on July 31, 2025, and is now under review alongside Heathrow Airport Holdings’ own, more expensive scheme.

This is the first time the government has opened the door to competing proposals for Heathrow’s next growth phase — a policy shift with wide implications for airlines, cross-border business, and communities around the airport.

Summary of Arora’s proposal

At the heart of Arora’s pitch is a shorter, 2,800-metre runway to the west of Terminal 5, plus a phased new Terminal 6, delivered in two stages: T6A in 2036 and T6B in 2040.

• The design avoids rerouting the M25, which Arora says reduces disruption, time, and cost.
• The group’s total price tag sits at under £25 billion, positioned as the lower-cost, faster-delivery alternative to Heathrow Airport Holdings’ plan.
• The runway is targeted to be fully operational by 2035.

Arora Group has created Heathrow West Limited as the delivery vehicle and partnered with Bechtel to provide construction expertise. The company says the shorter runway can handle all major aircraft types while avoiding the most disruptive civil works in prior plans.

Government review and timeline

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is overseeing the review. Findings will feed into an update to the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) later in 2025, before any Development Consent Order can proceed.

Key checkpoints and timing:
1. Review of both plans with input from environmental agencies, local councils, and community groups
2. ANPS update to set the policy baseline for any Development Consent Order
3. Aim for planning permission by the end of the current Parliament, likely 2026 (subject to regulator, environmental, and council feedback)

If either plan is approved:
– Site preparation could start as early as 2027
– Arora’s runway opening planned for 2035
– Terminal 6 delivered in phases through 2040

The Department for Transport sets policy and must weigh strategic capacity needs against environmental and community impacts. Official guidance for the ANPS process is available at the Department for Transport’s Airports NPS page on GOV.UK.

What Arora says about sustainability and community measures

Arora highlights:
– A target of BREEAM “Excellent” for operational emissions reduction
– Blue/green buffers and river restoration
– An improved public transport hub and enhanced cycle and walking links
– Promises of local jobs, apprenticeships, and contracts during construction

These measures are presented as part of the case that Arora’s plan reduces construction pain and supports a shift away from car travel. Trust from local communities, however, will depend on binding commitments and long-term monitoring.

Heathrow Airport Holdings’ rival plan

Heathrow Airport Holdings proposes a larger scheme centered on a 3,500-metre runway and more extensive terminal works.

• The plan requires major M25 diversion works, which increase costs and timelines.
• Estimated cost: around £49 billion
• Heathrow argues the larger expansion is needed to meet long-term demand and maintain the UK’s leading global hub status.

Heathrow’s scheme faces criticism from local leaders and climate groups who warn the added footprint and construction disruption would impose heavier community costs.

Side-by-side: key plan details

Implications for airlines, travelers, and migrants

Added runway capacity would increase flight slots and could:
– Enable new entrants and routes
– Lower fares on some services
– Improve connectivity for students, skilled workers, and visiting families

Industry analysts stress capacity is needed but warn expansion must align with the UK’s net zero plans. Any growth in flights will increase pressure on:
– Carbon emissions
– Noise levels
– Local air quality

VisaVerge.com notes that capacity decisions at major hubs ripple into immigration patterns — from student arrivals to intra-company transferees — as airlines recalibrate networks and frequencies in response to new slots.

Slot allocation, green conditions, and network effects

The debate extends to how new slots would be allocated. Considerations include:
– Prioritizing carriers that use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) or other decarbonization measures
– Balancing long-haul growth to emerging markets against domestic and regional feeder services
– Potential incentives for airlines to invest in cleaner fleets if access favors greener operations

Network effects:
– A larger Heathrow could draw traffic from regional UK airports, or alternatively strengthen domestic links through hub feed.
– Regulators will evaluate national network impacts, not just local consequences.

Community and environmental concerns

Local residents and councils remain wary after decades of noise and congestion.

Key community concerns:
– Flight paths and noise contour changes
– Night flight limits and construction schedules
– Binding mitigation measures vs. aspirational promises

Environmental groups argue expanded capacity conflicts with climate goals and call for investment in rail and regional connectivity instead. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has repeatedly opposed Heathrow growth. The review must show how any approved scheme aligns with both trade/travel ambitions and net zero commitments.

“The policy tension is clear: the UK wants to strengthen trade and travel links, but also to hit net zero targets.”

Economic and fiscal notes

Both proponents claim the schemes are 100% privately funded, avoiding direct taxpayer contributions. However:
– Capital markets, airline commitments, and regulatory timing will test those funding claims.
– Passengers could still face higher airport charges if capital costs rise.
– Regulators will assess affordability to avoid pushing traffic to rival European hubs.

Government estimates link airport expansion to gains in GDP, trade, and employment, though results vary by scenario. Arora pitches faster, lower-cost delivery for quicker benefits. Heathrow claims a larger long-term payoff but accepts higher near-term disruption and spending.

What matters next

The review phase will probe claims on:
– Noise, air quality, and carbon impacts
– Cost and timing realism
– Construction and operational commitments to local employment and supply chains
– Legal resilience to challenge

Tentative timeline:
– Policy decision: late 2025
– Planning permission: by 2026 (if milestones hold)
– Possible start of site preparation: 2027
– Arora runway operational: 2035
– Terminal 6 completion: through 2040

Official information on the government’s process is published at GOV.UK. Company information about the Heathrow Airport West proposal is available via the Arora Group, while Heathrow’s materials can be found at Heathrow Airport.

As the debate continues, the central question remains whether the chosen plan can unlock growth while protecting the people and places under the flight paths — and whether it positions the UK’s main hub to serve the next generation of global travelers, families, and workers without undermining climate promises.