MPs have firmly backed plans to build a new £14 billion third runway at Heathrow Airport.

The House of Commons voted by 415 votes to 119 against in favour of supporting the government's Airports National Policy Statement.

The vote now clears the way for Heathrow to submit an application for development consent for the project, claiming it will generate billions of pounds in growth and create "tens of thousands" of new skilled jobs across the UK.

Heathrow Chief Executive Officer, John Holland-Kaye, said: "Parliament has ended 50 years of debate by deciding that Heathrow expansion will go ahead.

"This vote will see us deliver more jobs, create a lasting legacy of skills for future generations and guarantee expansion is delivered responsibly. We are grateful that MPs have made the right choice for Britain and today we start work to create the best connected hub airport in the world."

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However, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the proposed policy statement "does not grant final planning consent".

"What it does is set the policy against which a promoter of an expanded Heathrow airport can deliver more detailed design and participate in the detailed planning process that can lead to final consent," he said.

However, environmental campaigners have hit out at the Government's decision.

Oliver Hayes, Climate Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said MPs who backed the third runway "will be harshly judged by history".

"The evidence on the accelerating climate crisis, which is already hitting the world's most vulnerable people, is overwhelming – and expanding Heathrow will only intensify the misery," he said.

"The aviation industry has been promising cleaner planes forever and a day, with little progress or investment.

"With no government plan to mitigate Heathrow's carbon emissions, or to address its already illegal levels of local air pollution, it's astounding that this scheme has been given the go-ahead."

(LM/MH)