A final decision on whether to expand Heathrow Airport by building a third runway has been delayed again, a transport minister announced on Thursday morning (June 30).

An announcement on the expanding an airport in the south east was expected to be made this summer , but after Britain voted to leave the European Union (EU) and an impending change of Prime Minister the decision has been pushed back again .

But a spokesperson for Heathrow has suggested expanding the west London airport should be a 'key building block' of the government's Brexit plan.

Architect Zaha Hadid's vision of Heathrow Airport

Speaking on Parliament on Wednesday morning, the Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “I had hoped the we would be able to announce the decision this summer.

No announcement until October

“Clearly any announcement on the airport capacity would have to be made when the house is in session.

“Being realistic, given recent events, I can't now foresee any announcement until October.”

A year ago on Friday (July 1) the airports commission backed expansion of Heathrow with a third runway.

But in the wake of the Brexit vote on Thursday, June 23 some have argued the project was 'must less likely'.

A spokesperson for Heathrow Airport has rejected this claim though, saying a third runway should be part of the plan for bolstering Britain's economy outside of the EU.

Third runway 'a key building block'

The spokesperson said: “If Britain wants to be confident, outward-looking and at the centre of the world's economy then expanding Heathrow must be a key building block in the government's Brexit plan.

“It will allow British expoerters to trade with all the growing markets of the world, strengthening Britain's position as one of the great trading nations. And at a time of uncertainty a £16bn privately funded infrastructure investment will create jobs and growth across the UK.

“Government can send the strongest possible signal that Britain is open for business and confident in its future by expanding Heathrow.”

Aerial shot of Heathrow Airport

40,000 London jobs

According to the Davies Commission, which was tasked with investigating the best option for airport expansion, a third runway would create 40,000 jobs across five London boroughs, and a further 140,000 elsewhere in the UK.

Yesterday Labour peer Lord David Blunkett was appointed chair of the Heathrow Skills Taskforce, which aims to ensure there are enough skilled workers to hold those positions.

The Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise (HACAN) have campaigned vehemently against the third runway.

'Inevitable'

Chair of the campaign group, John Stewart, said: “This was inevitable. Given the decisions within the Cabinet, David Cameron would not have been able to saddle a new Prime Minister with a new runway.

“It is likley now that the runway question will become an issue in the race to become Prime Minister.

“There will be pressure on each candidate to spell out where they stand.”

The former current bookies' favourite to be Prime Minister, Boris Johnson , has publicly opposed Heathrow expansion, instead touting an airport in the Thames Estuary – dubbed 'Boris Island.'

But this proposal was shot down by the Davies Commission in 2014.

Johnson announced he would not run for Prime Minister on Thursday (June 30).

Current contenders who have announced they will stand to be the next PM are the Home Secretary Theresa May, justice secretary Michael Gove, former defence secretary Liam Fox, junior energy minister Andrea Leadsom, and work and pensions minister Stephen Crabb.

The leader of Richmond Council, Lord True, said a decision on expansion is needed.

He said: "Whilst I welcome that the Prime Minister has not announced that Heathrow will be expanded, we do need to put this issue to bed once and for all.

"We are tired of waiting for this to be resolved."

Lord True added that he hoped the next Prime Minister would 'listen to the millions of Londoners who are against the expansion' and oppose the third runway.