Heathrow On Sea Gets Boost From Boris Johnson

Proposals to build a replacement for Heathrow in the Thames estuary have taken significant steps forward with Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, preparing to appoint the civil engineer behind Hong Kong’s giant island airport to examine the viability of the project.

The move comes as senior MPs have set up a cross-party group to lobby the government to investigate the idea.

Douglas Oakervee, the engineer who also chairs the Crossrail project for an east-west rail link in London, will tomorrow discuss with Johnson’s officials the terms of his involvement in a feasibility study.

Oakervee was the lead engineer in the construction of the £12 billion Hong Kong international airport, which was opened on mainly reclaimed land in 1998. The Thames estuary idea being drawn up by Johnson’s officials is loosely based on Hong Kong.

Pressure to replace Heathrow is growing as the government prepares to announce its decision on whether to build a third runway at the airport in the face of mounting environmental protests and rebellion from some cabinet ministers and local Labour MPs.

Kit Malthouse, Johnson’s deputy mayor, said momentum was building behind the estuary project. “There is no question we can achieve this,” he said. “We have to rediscover our tradition of ambition in civil engineering. The irony is that British engineers have already done it in Hong Kong. We can bring their ambition to London if there is the political will.”

Bernard Jenkin, the Tory MP for North Essex, who is heading the new all-party group, said: “Privately, government ministers – including in the Department for Transport – view the proposal much more favourably than the official line.”