Heathrow Airport CEO John Holland-Kaye has said he is confident construction of the third runway will go ahead despite looming legal challenges.

Mr Holland-Kaye has also called for an independent regulator to set noise and environmental targets for the airport, with tough penalties that would force him to keep his promises.

Speaking to the Observer, Holland-Kaye said he felt his plans were deliverable, but that it was important for him to be held to account.

He said: "We can't regulate ourselves, equally the government can't regulate us, so we need an independent regulator for this.

"We need to have some penalties that will really pinch if we pay them because we need to get these things right. We have made some big pledges and we are sure we can deliver them."

Last week Eton Town Council wrote to Mr Holland-Kaye expressing their concern about the Heathrow expansion, saying that the noise from extra aircraft would impact on their quality of life.

Additionally, the Royal Borough council are one of four councils along with Greenpeace who are initiating legal challenges against the government's decision to expand the airport, but Mr Holland-Kaye said Heathrow is confident that their plans are achievable and that the airport has considered the fears of local residents.

Furthermore, Heathrow's director of external relations, Nigel Milton said that he believes that as long as Maidenhead MP Theresa May is prime minister, the third runway will be built.

He said: "As long as Theresa May and Phillip Hammond are in government, I am confident we will get to 2021 and start construction on the third runway."

However, their opposition are not quite as certain things will go ahead as planned.

Deputy leader of the Royal Borough council, Phillip Bicknell, suggested Heathrow were being overconfident.

He said: "They are bound to say that. There's a long way to go and they're probably getting a little over confident.

"The fact is that the air pollution is a massive block for them and that is just the tip of the iceberg. I can't see how logic can't get in the way of the decision."