CAMPAIGNERS have welcomed the new government's promise to scrap plans for a third runway at Heathrow.

The move, one of the first decisions made by the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition, was announced on Wednesday afternoon.

Prime Minister David Cameron and his deputy, Nick Clegg, have also pledged to block new runways for Gatwick and Stansted airports.

John Stewart, chairman of campaign group HACAN, said: "This is good news for London. A third runway would have been bad for the capital's environment and was not essential for its economic wellbeing. A long campaign has ended in victory. We are delighted."

Geraldine Nicholson, chairman of the No Third Runway Action Group, said: "This is a great decision. It means thousands of people will not be forced out of their homes to make way for a new runway.

"Our task now is to regenerate Sipson and the other villages which have lived with so much uncertainty in recent years."

Both the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties had promised to scrap plans to expand Heathrow in their manifestos, so the announcement is not a surprise.

However, it will be a relief to the local people who have fought for years to prevent an extra landing strip being built.

The Labour government gave the third runway the go-ahead back in January last year, but a High Court ruling in March this year forced it to review the controversial decision.

Deputy Hounslow Council leader Ruth Cadbury welcomed the announcement but said she was under no illusion that the pressure to expand Heathrow would go away.

"It's great news, but BAA will be looking to expand Heathrow's capacity on the two existing runways," she told the Chronicle. "I really fear for our chances of retaining the period of peace we get through runway alternation.

"The only way to bring in more flights on the existing runways is to bring in mixed mode or allow more night flights, both of which would be disastrous news for our residents."