Emma Thompson, Others Try to Foil Heathrow Plans

A high-profile coalition led by Greenpeace has purchased a soccer field-sized piece of land intended to become part of a new runway for London’s Heathrow airport, the Times reports. The group intends to parcel out the land to thousands of individual owners, dragging out any attempt to buy it back. “We’ll stop this from happening even if we have to move in and plant vegetables,” said actress Emma Thompson, one of several big names who donated to the cause.

The expansion, backed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, has numerous detractors in the environmental community and the opposition political parties. In addition to concerns about emissions and noise pollution, they oppose the bulldozing of 2,000 homes necessary for the project. “An airport brings good things and bad things,” Heathrow’s owner said. ”No one can possibly take any pleasure in the destruction that construction can cause.” (More Heathrow Airport stories.)