This week Beaconsfield MP Dominic Grieve writes exclusively to Bucks Free Press readers:

With confirmation that the government is backing a new third runway at Heathrow Airport, I know that this will have an impact on communities in my Beaconsfield constituency, directly affected by noise and also by air pollution.

Last year, two separate consultations on the proposal to expand Heathrow resulted in more than 80,000 responses.

Given the concerns of residents, it was right that the Transport Secretary should give due emphasis to the implications for those who are directly affected and the effect upon the environment.

On air quality, Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP went on record, saying: “We will only grant development consent if we are satisfied that a new runway would not impact the UK’s compliance with air quality obligations.”

A Community Engagement Board, set up earlier this year, has an independent chair with the task, amongst others, of looking at the design of the Community Compensation Fund. Up to £2.6 billion will be dedicated to providing compensation and noise insulation (including improvements to public buildings like schools).

As we have learned from the HS2 experience, though, there has to be more than lip service paid to the needs of communities.

That said, the aviation sector makes a big contribution to our economy and is one of the largest in the world. Aviation supports half a million jobs in the UK (including many in my constituency), producing £22 billion for the economy.

Our airports do need more capacity. In addition to the passenger traffic, there’s the movement of freight.

Heathrow already carries more freight (by value) than all the other airports in this country: this proposal would allow Heathrow to double its capacity for handling this.

I will be working with my communities and particularly those worst-affected, such as Iver, to achieve the best outcome.