A third runway at Heathrow Airport has been given the go-ahead by the Government.
Proposals to expand an existing runway at Heathrow or build a second runway at Gatwick were rejected.
A public consultation will now be held on the impact of a third runway at the west London hub before the final decision is put to MPs for a vote in the winter of 2017/18.
A new runway could be operational by 2025.
Prime Minister Theresa May moved to head off possible Cabinet resignations by giving ministers freedom to speak out against the Government’s decision, with the possibility of Heathrow expansion fiercely opposed by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Education Secretary Justine Greening.
Mr Johnson said the project is “undeliverable” and is likely to be stopped, while Tory MP Zac Goldsmith intends to honour his pledge to resign and force a by-election in Richmond Park and Kingston North in protest at the outcome.
The Government has proposed that a six-and-a-half-hour ban on scheduled night flights will be introduced for the first time, as well as more stringent night noise restrictions.
The timing of the ban will be determined through a consultation.
The Department for Transport (DfT) claimed that the new runway will bring economic benefits to passengers and the wider economy worth up to £61 billion.
Heathrow said it is ready to deliver a third runway that is “fair, affordable and secures the benefits of expansion for the whole of the UK”.
Announcing the decision, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “The step that the Government is taking today is truly momentous.
“I am proud that after years of discussion and delay this Government is taking decisive action to secure the UK’s place in the global aviation market – securing jobs and business opportunities for the next decade and beyond.”
He went on: “We’ve thought long and hard about this. The committee considered all three options. There were three very good options on the table.
“But we believe a third runway for Heathrow is the best option for our future. It’s the best for the whole country to create better connectivity to the different regions of the United Kingdom and to provide the best trade links to the world.”
The Transport Secretary said it was inevitable that some people would disagree with the decision after being asked about opposition from Mr Johnson and Ms Greening.
Mr Grayling said: “It would be impossible to deliver a project like this without some people disagreeing with the strategy.
“We’ve taken a view that where people have direct constituency concerns and interests they should have the freedom to articulate those long-held views. But this is about taking the right decision for the United Kingdom.”
