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  1. National

Airports Commission backs new runway at Heathrow

A long-awaited report by the Airport Commission into airport capacity has recommended that a new runway should be built at Heathrow rather than Gatwick.

The options considered were a third runway at Heathrow, extending an existing one, or building a second runway at Gatwick.

The commission recommended a new runway at Heathrow providing a "comprehensive" package of measures be undertaken, including a ban on night flights, a new levy to fund insulation for homes, schools and other community facilities around Heathrow, and an independent noise authority.

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  1. Joel Hills

Heathrow wins backing over new runway bid

Heathrow Airport has won the support of a formal report into where would be best to build a new runway, beating competition from bosses at Gatwick.

According to the report, the 260,000 extra flights a year Heathrow could accommodate would pump extra £147 billion into the UK economy, creating 77,000 new jobs by 2030 and connecting Britain to 40 new destinations and potential business markets in Asia, Africa and Latin Amercia.

The Prime Minister has said he will read the Airports Commission report and decide by the end of the year whether the government would back the report - though some of his own MPs have already voiced their opposition.

ITV News' business editor Joel Hills reports:

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