'We feel betrayed, ignored, treated as nothing more than an inconvenience ...the village is going to be destroyed'

ANGRY residents in a village at risk of being destroyed by a third runway at Heathrow say they feel betrayed and ignored but vow to carry on the fight for their homes.

- Jon King

Airport bosses submitted plans for a £49billion development, which they want to build within 10 years, to the Government on Friday.

They are seeking permission for a 11,000ft runway to the northwest of the current site but say they will consider a shorter one.

For the long runway, 752 homes would have to be demolished.

Heathrow chiefs say they will pay the “unblighted” market value plus an extra 25% in compensation, as well as stamp duty, legal fees and moving expenses.

But residents in the villages affected, including Harmondsworth, are preparing to fight back.

They claim up to 16,000 people will be displaced as a result of the expansion while others will have to contend with “unbearable” aircraft noise and pollution.

Andrew Melville, 73, who has lived in Harmondsworth, west of London, for 46 years, told the Daily Express: “The village is going to be destroyed.

“The only thing Heathrow can offer us is no third runway.”

The retired contracts manager added: “We just feel betrayed, ignored, treated as nothing more than an inconvenience not even that. At least you address an inconvenience. Heathrow is silent.”

Heathrow, which is owned by a consortium of investors, insists it will set up a community compensation fund to support “wider development” around the site and install more noise insulation.

It also said the expanded airport will generate tens of thousands more jobs for locals.

But Armelle Thomas, who has lived in Harmondsworth for 56 years and has been campaigning against Heathrow expansion since 1993, said: “I’m 79. You don’t move at that age and put yourself somewhere else with no contacts. You also can’t move a community.”

She added: “We've had many battles with Heathrow. We've been threatened for such a long time.”