Hong Kong To Act As Blueprint for Boris Island

Plans to build a replacement for Heathrow Airport off the coast of Sheppey have taken a step forward - despite widespread opposition, Yourswale reports.

London Mayor Boris Johnson is preparing to appoint the civil engineer behind Hong Kong’s £12 billion island airport to work on a similar proposal for the Thames Estuary.

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

This is despite the plan being opposed by both Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP Derek Wyatt and his rival Conservative parliamentary candidate Gordon Henderson.

Mr Henderson this week branded the plan "a dead duck", while Mr Wyatt said it was merely "political posturing".

The British Air Transport Association, which represents the UKs airlines, is also opposed to the idea and branded it a "non-starter".

Douglas Oakervee, the engineer who also chairs the Crossrail project for an east-west rail link in London, has discussed with the mayor’s officials the terms of his involvement in a feasibility study for the so-called "Boris Island".

Mr Oakervee was the lead engineer in the construction of the Hong Kong International Airport, which was opened offshore on reclaimed land in 1998.

The idea being drawn up by Mr 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, Mr Johnson’s deputy mayor, claimed support was growing for the estuary project.