UK govt committee unanimously approved Heathrow expansion -PM May's spokeswoman
LONDON, Oct (HKSE: 3366-OL.HK - news) 25 (Reuters) - A government committee of senior ministers unanimously decided on Tuesday to allow Heathrow airport to build a third runway, Prime Minister Theresa May's spokeswoman said.
The move, announced earlier on Tuesday, gave Heathrow Airport (Shanghai: 600463.SS - news) the green light to build a new $22 billion runway, ending 25 years of indecision.
"It was a unanimous decision of the committee to back a new runway at Heathrow," the spokeswoman told reporters.
After the meeting of the government's airport committee on Tuesday, May's full team of top ministers was told of the decision but they did not discuss it, she added.
The spokeswoman said Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Education Secretary Justine Greening, both long-term opponents of Heathrow expansion, had sought and been granted approval from May to publically voice their disagreement.
(Reporting by William James, Writing by Kylie MacLellan, Editing by Paul Sandle)