'Boris Island' airport scuppered by Airports Commission

Following feasibility studies, the Airports Commission concluded that the four runway ITE airport proposal does not represent a credible option for shortlisting due to ‘cumulative obstacles to delivery, high costs and uncertainties in relation to its economic and strategic benefits’.

ITE, dubbed Boris Island due to strong backing from London Mayor Boris Johnson, was being investigated by the Commission along with three other schemes that proposed: additional runways at Gatwick and Heathrow Airports, and an extension to the existing northern runway at Heathrow to operate as two separate runways.

In a statement, Sir Howard Davies, Airports Commission chair said: ‘While we recognise the need for a hub airport, we believe this should be a part of an effective system of competing airports to meet the needs of a widely spread and diverse market like London’s.

‘There are serious doubts about the delivery and operation of a very large hub airport in the estuary. The economic disruption would be huge and there are environmental hurdles which it may prove impossible, or very time-consuming to surmount. Even the least ambitious version of the scheme would cost £70 to £90bn with much greater public expenditure involved than in other options – probably some £30 to £60bn in total.