Local authorities near Heathrow in west London have joined forces with residents' groups to lodge a £100,000 case arguing that the transport secretary, Alistair Darling, omitted key information from consultation documents, including alternative proposals for new airports at Thames Reach and on the Isle of Sheppey.
Essex and Hertfordshire county councils will file a parallel action, claiming that the government's plans are so specific they subvert the planning process. They claim ministers failed to assess adequately the environmental impact of a new runway at Stansted.
A high court judge ordered Mr Darling to restart his airport consultation in 2002 after local authorities successfully argued that he had unfairly excluded Gatwick.
Richard Buxton, a solicitor representing the Heathrow activists, said: "This is not just a sniping exercise - we take the view that there are major legal flaws in this decision."
They believe Mr Darling should have considered more efficient use of Heathrow's two existing runways. Furthermore, they say he failed to consult adequately on a proposal to extend Luton airport's runway and ignored commercial arguments against development at Stansted.
