The Royal Borough council, in coalition with Hillingdon, Richmond and Wandsworth councils, Greenpeace and a resident of Hillingdon have served the government with legal papers for unlawfully supporting the expansion of Heathrow.

The legal high-court submission is seeking a judicial review of the government's decision to support the expansion, arguing that the government has failed to recognise the project's unlawful air quality impact and that the consultation held to make the decision was fundamentally flawed.

In addition, the legal challenge seeks to hold the Government to the promise that a third runway would never be built.

If the request is successful, and the coalition wins the judicial review, the decision to proceed with the runway would be overturned.

Cllr Ray Puddifoot, Leader of Hillingdon Council said: ''The Government has stubbornly refused to accept that it is breaking the law on the very important issue of air quality in relation to Heathrow. Therefore, this Council, together with the London Boroughs of Wandsworth and Richmond upon Thames, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Greenpeace and a Hillingdon resident, have had no option other than to issue judicial review proceedings in the High Court."

Cllr Simon Dudley, Leader of The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead, said: “The Royal Borough has been very consistent in saying it will hold government to account for its decision and seek to protect our residents from the public health risks of an expanded Heathrow Airport. Our involvement in this legal action seeks to achieve those objectives, and in addition our long standing objections to and manifesto commitments to resist the expansion of Heathrow Airport and protect our residents.”