I see the Standard is now reporting that Heathrow is exploring the idea of
putting a new shorter runway to the south-west, rather than to the north of
the existing airport. The advantage is that fewer people would suffer from
additional noise.

See:
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/trans...d-8647410.html

Extract:
"Heathrow is planning a new runway south-west of the airport, the Standard
reveals today.

The development in the Stanwell Moor area is one of two or three options to
be submitted to the Davies Commission into airport expansion, according to
well-placed sources.

Bosses at Heathrow have torn up the blueprint for a third runway to the
north of the existing two runways, which was backed by the previous Labour
government but ran into strong opposition from Londoners and
environmentalists.

The Standard has been told the favoured new option is to build on land
stretching from the existing airport towards Stanwell Moor village and
north of local reservoirs. This could mean few properties being demolished.

Alternatively, the village could be significantly pulled down, say aviation
experts, with generous compensation for locals. Heathrow chiefs are
understood to have come up with the plan after examining at least 50
options for expansion.

It is expected to include a series of measures to mitigate additional noise
from tens of thousands of extra flights. The bosses have already rejected
most proposals, including one for a new four-runway “superhub� airport
close to Slough or 15 minutes from Oxford.

A plan from a group led by Concorde’s longest-serving pilot, Captain Jock
Lowe — which would see the two existing runways extended to create four —
has also been dismissed by Heathrow.

Aviation experts say the Stanwell Moor proposal shows that Heathrow is
seeking to minimise the noise impact of a bigger airport, seen as the main
obstacle to its expansion.

It would also be in Spelthorne, a borough housing many Heathrow staff and
whose Conservative MP Kwasi Kwarteng has led calls for a third or even a
fourth runway. The development would not be expected to in- crease
disturbance significantly for most residents living under the flightpaths
of the current two runways.

But there could be more noise over Feltham, Twickenham, Ham, Richmond Park
and Wimbledon Common, which is likely to spark a major campaign — including
by Stanwell Moor residents — against the scheme."