Thousands of jobs and hundreds of stores hang in the balance as fresh funding buys poundland precious time to secure a rescue and avoid administration. Follow All Angles UK Follow us or share this story. Share Poundland has been given fresh hope in its fight for survival after owner Gordon Brothers agreed to release around £19 million in cash as the discount retailer seeks another 10 working days of protection from creditors. The dramatic development gives bosses valuable breathing space to pursue a rescue of one of Britain’s most recognisable high-street names, with hundreds of stores and thousands of jobs hanging in the balance. The retailer filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators on 29 October, providing temporary protection from creditors while a rescue could be pursued. That initial period has now expired, with Poundland’s directors seeking a further ...
Heathrow's £49bn Third Runway Project Faces New Delay with Opening Pushed to 2039
Get link
Facebook
X
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps
Airlines, campaigners and local communities question whether Britain's most controversial airport expansion can ever be delivered.
Heathrow Airport’s long-promised third runway may not become operational until 2039, dealing another blow to one of Britain’s most controversial infrastructure projects. The £49 billion expansion, championed by Rachel Reeves as a major driver of investment, trade and economic growth, has been criticised as increasingly unrealistic amid planning delays, spiralling costs and fierce disagreement over who will ultimately pay for it.
The plans go far beyond laying a new strip of tarmac. Heathrow wants to build a 3,500-metre north-west runway, expand and modernise its terminals and divert part of the M25 through a tunnel beneath the enlarged airport. The runway and related road works have been estimated at £21 billion, with another £12 billion allocated to terminal construction and approximately £15 billion for wider airport improvements. Heathrow says the privately financed expansion could raise capacity from around 84 million to as many as 150 million passengers a year and create thousands of jobs.
However, airlines have questioned whether the project can be delivered at an acceptable cost. British Airways’ parent company, IAG, has reportedly argued that spending should be capped at £30 billion, while carriers fear that higher airport charges could eventually be passed on to passengers through more expensive fares. Heathrow maintains that taxpayers will not fund the scheme, but critics remain concerned that the Government could face pressure to intervene if private investment falls short or construction costs rise sharply.
The third-runway battle has already been running for more than 23 years. Heathrow publicly called for another runway in 2003, although discussions about expanding airport capacity stretch back much further. Labour approved a previous proposal in 2009, only for the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition to cancel it in 2010. The project was revived, backed by the Airports Commission in 2015 and approved by MPs in 2018, before becoming entangled in legal challenges over Britain’s climate commitments. A Court of Appeal ruling blocked it in 2020, but that decision was later overturned by the Supreme Court.
Environmental concerns remain at the heart of the opposition. Campaigners and London Mayor Sadiq Khan have warned that hundreds of thousands of additional flights could worsen carbon emissions, air pollution and aircraft noise. The Climate Change Committee has also warned that expansion under existing policies could threaten the UK’s legally binding carbon targets unless airlines fund significant carbon-removal measures. Local communities face further uncertainty, with hundreds of homes potentially requiring demolition to make way for the runway and surrounding infrastructure.
Supporters insist that Heathrow is already operating close to capacity and that expansion is essential if Britain wants to compete with major European aviation hubs. Yet a possible 2039 opening would mean passengers, businesses and nearby residents waiting years longer for a project first formally advanced at the beginning of the century. After decades of political promises, reversals, court battles and rising estimates, the central question is no longer simply whether Britain needs another runway—but whether this £49 billion vision can ever be delivered on time, within budget and without leaving passengers or the public to carry the financial and environmental cost.
You must be 18 or older to send us a story, photo or video.
By continuing, you confirm that you are at least 18 years old
and have permission to share the submitted material.
Important: This prize draw is promoted on behalf of BeautyWithKen and ForYourBeauty. It is not administered by All Angles UK. After entering, all questions concerning entries, winner selection, the prize or delivery must be directed to the merchant at beautywithken@gmail.com. Please do not contact All Angles UK about the promotion.
One entry per person. Full terms and eligibility details apply.
