TERMINAL 5 has finally been approved at Heathrow Airport, paving the way for an extra 25 million passengers a year.

The decision, which comes as a blow to anti-T5 campaigners such as HACAN, was announced by Transport Secretary Stephen Byers on Tuesday, eight years after the British Airports Authority (BAA) first sought planning permission.

It means Heathrow's status as Europe's leading airport can be preserved in the face of increased competition from other European destinations.

In announcing the go-ahead to the House of Commons, Mr Byers stated that the £2.25 billion expansion will ensure that Heathrow becomes the world's leading airport and will ensure the continuing prosperity of London.

The announcement marks the end of the longest running planning inquiry in British history, which cost an estimated £80 million.

Seven hundred people gave evidence, and 27,000 letters were received, resulting in a 600-page report.

BAA said that the development would create or safeguard 16,500 jobs, as well as 6,000 construction jobs.

Bosses have also pledged that there will only be an eight per cent increase in flights, even though passenger numbers will rise to 90 million a year.

But campaigners say that similar promises were broken soon after the go-ahead for Terminal 4 and that an estimate at the start of the inquiry that by 2013 there would be 453,000 flights a year has already been reached.

The new terminal will open in 2007 and an additional satellite building by 2012.

By.Rob Carnevale