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Campaigners renew bid for judicial review of Southampton Airport runway extension

A group that last month failed to win permission for a judicial review challenge over the authorisation of a runway expansion at Southampton Airport has renewed its application.

The High Court had rejected applications from two organisations opposed to Eastleigh Borough Council's move to grant permission to the 164m extension to the airport's runway.

But one of the groups - named the Group Opposed to the Expansion of Southampton Airport Ltd (GOESA) - has announced that it will continue with its challenge.

Opposition group, Airport Expansion Opposition (AXO), raised over £22,600 through a crowdfunding campaign to support GOESA in bringing the legal challenge.

In a tweet, AXO confirmed that GOESA is continuing to pursue its legal bid.

AXO say that the airport overstated the economic benefits of expansion whilst underplaying the environmental impact.

Cllr Keith House, Leader of the council, said councillors "robustly considered" a large number of representations, as well as examining extensive evidence before approving the plans. 

He added: "We were confident the way the decision was taken and the arguments to justify it were lawful and sound and this has been backed by the Court.

"The recovery of [Southampton Airport] and its ability to help regional businesses is a step closer today with the decision of the High Court to reject two judicial reviews of the [Eastleigh Borough Council] decision to approve a short extension of the runway."

Solicitors at Leigh Day and David Wolfe QC of Matrix Law are acting for the claimants.

Adam Carey

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