Heathrow Offers Free Therapy to People Facing Eviction for Third Runway

Heathrow is offering free therapy to people whose homes will be demolished if the airport builds a third runway.

Around 750 homes will be knocked down, with thousands more living in the area due to face greater noise pollution if the £49bn expansion goes ahead.

In a letter sent to residents this month and seen by the Times, a Heathrow official said the airport was funding a “mental wellbeing support service”, to be delivered by a third party.

The free support would include personalised one-on-one therapy sessions and a helpline, as well as access to “specialist clinical treatments” such as cognitive behavioural therapy, which “helps you change how you think”, according to the NHS website.

The letter reads: “We recognise that clear definitions of support, strong upfront communication, transparency and clarity on timelines and decision-making will be essential in translating policy intent into effective, trusted outcomes for affected communities.”

Paul McGuinness, chair of the No 3rd Runway Coalition, told the Times: “The launch of this service tells you all you need to know about the complexities of trying to push forward with this doomed project.

“Heathrow expansion is not just about building a new airport next to the existing one. Its damaging proposals have real-life impacts on so many of us… the government must urgently recognise this and halt a third runway.”

Campaigners have also highlighted the climate impact of a third runway, with independent forecasting by aviation intelligence and advisory company IBA predicting it could increase the airport’s annual CO2 emissions by 9.43m tonnes per year when in full operation – equivalent to the entirety of Portugal’s aviation carbon footprint in 2024.

The news of Heathrow’s therapy offer comes as the UK record for the hottest ever June day.

A new government consultation on the third runway runs until 1 September.