Residents and campaigners have reacted to Heathrow Airport's plans to 'meet and exceed' demands made by the Davies Commission with scepticism after 'failing to capture' what locals want.

Heathrow Airport 's CEO, John Holland-Kaye, made a promise to a ban on night flights and rule out a future fourth runway, if David Cameron approves a third runway .

The proposed also see an agreement of a ‘noise envelope’ with communities around the airport, meeting EU legal limits on air pollution before a third runway becomes operational, and no flights before 6am.

But Jackie Clark-Basten, chair of Stop Heathrow Expansion, believes the measures “fail to capture what people living close to the Airport want – the very existence of their community”.

She said: “The village of Harmondsworth and areas of Sipson still face being transformed into a concrete jetway. No amount of promises on mitigation measures can change that.”

Government policy on the location for a new runway in the south-East is likely to be announced later this year.

Airport has gone back on a promise before, says campaigner

Ms Clark-Basten added: “In 1995 Heathrow Airport said it would not seek a third runway if permission for Terminal 5 was granted.

“That promise was reneged upon shortly after - why should people in communities around the Airport suddenly begin to believe a word of what is being said?”

John Stewart, chair of Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise (HACAN), which gives a voice to residents under the Heathrow flight paths, reiterated that their supporters don’t want a new runway.

He said: “They do want a ban on flights at night and some respite from the flights during the day. But they don’t want to wait 10 years for a third runway to be built to get them.”

The HACAN chair does however think that Heathrow’s decision to move on night flights could 'turn out to be significant.'

Mr Stewart added: “HACAN has long campaigned for a ban on flights before 6am but things have remained the same for decades.

“Heathrow’s proposals may prize open a door on night flights that has been firmly closed for 25 years.”

'The case for Heathrow expansion is now overwhelming'

A group campaigning in favour of a third runway, say the hub airport has made a number of “seriously impressive commitments”, which they say will be welcomed by “huge numbers” of residents in the local communities surrounding the airport.

Rob Gray, Back Heathrow campaign director, said: “There can be no more excuses for dither and delay from the government because the case for Heathrow expansion is now overwhelming.

"It is time for certainty. The Prime Minister must make a decision on behalf of the UK and that means backing a new runway at Heathrow."

Jock Lowe, director of Heathrow Hub, the independent proposal to expand Heathrow through an extended runway, has also responded the news.

He said: “It is good news that Heathrow Airport has accepted the bulk of the Airport Commission’s recommended conditions for expansion to go ahead.

"However, if the government chose our extended runway option, it would be £6bn cheaper than the third runway, have a minimal impact on air passenger charges, construction could be phased and it would be simpler and less disruptive.

"The third runway’s cost and complexity is a big worry to airlines and consumers, as IAG, the owner of British Airways has confirmed.”