NEW alternative plans have been revealed for the massive renovation of London Heathrow Airport.
The new proposal has been pitched by one of Britain’s richest men, Mr Surinder Arora.
Mr Arora wants Heathrow rival the best airport in the world – Changi Airport[/caption]
The plans are set to rival the world’s best airport in Singapore in the hope of making Heathrow “the best passenger experience in the world”.
Mr Arora is a property tycoon working with brands like Hilton, Radisson and Marriott.
He’s also the owner of the Arora Group, which is one of the largest landowners within Heathrow’s facilities.
The Times confirmed that Mr Arora has put forward his own £25billion proposal called Heathrow West, that reveals a different approach to upgrading the airport.
These rival the plans already submitted by Heathrow’s owners – and they’re cheaper by £24billion.
Mr Arora has worked on the proposal with Bechtel, the US construction company and infrastructure consultancy.
It reveals a new 2,800-metre runway that would be north of the two existing ones, which would be open by 2035.
Terminal 6 would be built to the west of the existing terminals and would be opened in phases between 2036 and 2040.
In comparison to the other plans, Mr Arora’s proposal would mean reduced land-take and less disruption to local residents and businesses.
It would enable higher levels of sustainable travel and avoid temporary diversions and closures of the M25.
The report claims that it makes Mr Arora’s submission better value for money and it will be delivered quicker too.
Mr Arora said: “Heathrow West directly meets and supports the United Kingdom’s primary objective of unlocking economic growth at the UK’s only hub airport with a strong commitment of doing so on-budget and on-time.”
He added that he’s working with Changi Airport in Singapore to replicate “the best passenger experience in the world”.
Changi Airport was crowned the World’s Best Airport in 2025 by Skytrax and even has a swimming pool, cinema and butterfly garden
Carlton Brown, who has been appointed chief executive of the Heathrow West project, added: “There is no reason as to why the UK’s only hub airport cannot outcompete not just its European rivals but also Dubai, Singapore and others.”
The owners of London Heathrow revealed plans for the airport expansion on August 1, 2025 – in comparison to the Mr Arora’s, it’s more expensive, set at a cost of nearly £50 billion.
The plans would have a shorter runway and new terminal[/caption]
Mr Arora says his proposal takes less land and would cause less disruption[/caption]
The major new upgrade would be the £21billion third runway, which is set to be operational in the next 10 years.
The runway is planned to be longer than the one in the Arora plan, at 3,500 metres long, rather than 2,800.
There is also a plan to widen the M25 near the Heathrow junctions (at a cost of £1.5billion) which will see a new section in a tunnel under the runway to reduce congestion.
However this will result in temporary closures and rerouting of the motorway – something Mr Arora says wouldn’t happen with his proposal.
A new £15billion terminal complex will also be built, called T5XW and T5XN.
The creation of the new terminals will also see T1 and T3 demolished, and T2 expanded, at the cost of £15billion.
The airport hopes to get planning permission by 2029, if ministers allow the proposal to go ahead.
Read more on Heathrow’s expansion plans and its proposed third runway here.
Plus, here’s more on the £9.5billion mega airport that’s opening in a cheap holiday destination – and will be one of the world’s largest.