Heathrow’s £33bn Third Runway Plan Selected by Government. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander announces Heathrow’s £33bn third-runway proposal as the government’s preferred expansion plan. A rival bid for a shorter runway from hotel tycoon Surinder Arora is officially rejected. Heathrow says the project will be entirely privately funded through higher airline charges, with no taxpayer money used. The expansion would require rerouting the M25, one of the UK’s busiest motorways, and demolishing nearby villages. The selected plan still faces a lengthy planning process, including consultations and parliamentary scrutiny. The Department for Transport says the choice does not amount to a final decision on runway design or length. Heathrow intends to spend £33bn on the runway and a further £15bn on upgrading current airport facilities. The government hopes for planning approval by 2029 and completion by 2035 — though Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary claims the chances are “slim,” warning it could be 2050 before anything is built.