Court showdown over airport

The row over airport expansion in the South-East escalated today as the Government faced a High Court showdown with opponents of the plan.

Ministers are accused of misleading the public with spurious claims and errors in their consultation paper.

Transport Secretary Alistair Darling unveiled three options in July to meet soaring demand for air travel, at least one of which must go ahead. The plans are a third runway at Heathrow, expanding Stansted from one runway to a four-runway international hub, and a massive new four-runway airport at Cliffe in Kent.

Campaigners and councils will today try to derail the consultation process, claiming it is legally flawed because it does not include Gatwick airport. If the Government loses, ministers may have to prepare a new consultation paper and launch another four-month consultation exercise, severely delaying any decision. Other flaws in the plan have been pinpointed:

The consultation paper fails to mention that thousands of homes could be exposed to pollution and noise if flight paths are changed.

It assumes that budget air travel will become less popular - despite predictions that it will continue to boom.

Experts fear that despite technological changes to let air traffic control manage more planes, the creaking system will be unable to cope.

A poll shows many airlines will do " whatever it takes" not to move to new airports.

The Government would have to change the law to permit "incentives" for airlines to move from Heathrow.

There is no willingness in the City to foot the bill for projects whose budgets may run vastly over current estimates.

The Cliffe option has been included against the repeated advice of transport department consultants.

A separate arm of government has warned the Department of Transport that

the Cliffe option should not go ahead.

The problems come after the Evening Standard revealed last week that BAA, which operates London's main airports, wants a sixth Heathrow terminal to make the third runway work.

The Department of Transport will go to the High Court today to take on opponents who want to halt the consultation, which ends this month.

The hearing is due to finish on Friday, when there may be a judgment or deferred judgment.

Whatever the outcome, the Government faces a second legal battle today in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg where it is attempting to overturn a court ruling which prevents unlimited night flights at Heathrow.

Residents under the Heathrow flight-path fear the appeal could lead to dozens of new flights landing and taking off during the night. Judgment will be given early next year.