After decades of debate, Heathrow’s third runway is cleared for take-off by British MPs

British MPs have overwhelmingly approved long-awaited plans to build a third runway at London Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport, after decades of acrimonious debate over its potential impact.

On Monday, lawmakers voted by a wide margin of 296 votes to back expansion proposals agreed earlier this month by Prime Minister Theresa May’s government, overcoming vehement opposition from MPs with constituencies nearby where residents fear increased pollution and noise.

Among them is Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who once pledged to lie in front of bulldozers to stop construction, but missed the key vote due to a last-minute trip to Afghanistan.

The government argues that the £14 billion US$18.5 billion) plan will provide a major boost to Britain’s post-Brexit economy and could create up to 114,000 local jobs by 2030.

“This is a momentous vote that has been 50 years in the making and represents the biggest transport decision in a generation,” said Transport Secretary Chris Grayling ahead of securing approval for the plan.

“At stake are thousands of new jobs and the country’s ability to compete on an international stage and win new global trade.”