Hillingdon Council will write to the Airports Commission to say the plans for expanding Heathrow Airport are seriously flawed.

The council's cabinet approved its consultation response on Thursday (January 22) and will now send it to the commission.

The response includes a specially-commissioned report on the impact any expansion would have on the health and quality of life of those living near to the airport. It says any expansion would require 'the demolition of communities, compromise health-based levels of air quality, and cause widespread adverse impacts of aircraft noise pollution across more people than all of the other European hub airports put together.'

Councillor Ray Puddifoot, leader of the council, said: "Despite spending considerable time and resources on publicity demonstrating the benefits of building a third runway, Heathrow Airport's proposals are full of hollow promises and gaping holes, lacking any realistic assessment of the impact Heathrow expansion would have on our community.

"It beggars belief that increased noise levels, heightened flood risk, public transport pressures, reduction of air quality, not to mention the trauma of uprooting families who have lived locally for decades, are being glossed over by Heathrow. We are also concerned that the so-called economic benefits of expanding this airport do not stand up to closer scrutiny and ultimately would not benefit Hillingdon residents."

He added: "The recent activities of Heathrow and its PR machine have demonstrated that neither they nor their incredibly dubious survey results can be believed or taken seriously. Our detailed response to the Airport Commission's consultation lays bare these vitally important concerns, which demand to be taken seriously."

The commission has been tasked with identifying the best solution for increasing flight capacity in south-east England. The three options being considered are building a third runway at Heathrow, extending one of Heathrow's existing runways and building another runway at Gatwick.

The consultation period ends on February 3. The commission will then consider all responses, before publishing its final recommendations this summer.

A Heathrow Airport spokeswoman said: “The Airports Commission has confirmed that only Heathrow can connect all of Britain to global growth, delivering up to £211billion to the British economy, and 180,000 jobs, including 41,000 jobs locally, while reducing noise for residents.

"We will work with schools, colleges and unions to give young people in the area the training and opportunities they need, doubling the number of apprenticeships across the airport to 10,000 and potentially eradicating youth unemployment in the surrounding boroughs to the airport. With the majority of local residents backing expansion, it is clear that consensus is building behind our plans to deliver the economic growth our region needs.”