WORK to expand the runway at Southampton Airport could start as early as August this year, it has been revealed.

Airport bosses have asked campaigners not to delay the work to expand the runway by 164m.

It comes as Eastleigh Borough Council formally approved the plans on June 3 after it said the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) did not meet a council deadline to step in.

But campaigners branded the decision as "devastating" and criticised the government.

The borough council said in April it agreed to give the government time to review the proposals.

The council said it then informed the ministry on May 14 that planning permission would be granted by the end of May.

But the council said it received no response and plans were formally signed off on June 3.

It comes as in an email sent to AXO on May 19 and seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the government said: "The application is currently under consideration by the Secretary of State.  The department has an agreement with Eastleigh Borough Council that it will not to issue the decision notice, on the above application,  until the Secretary of State has completed his consideration of the application."

In a statement AXO said: "We very much regret that the decision to extend the runway cannot now be called in as we do not believe it would have stood up to independent scrutiny. "

Extinction Rebellion Southampton added: "For all those who value the most basic of human rights - to breathe clean air - the failure of the government to call in the proposal represents nothing less than a grievous crime against humanity.  The Secretary of State must be held to account for his failure to act not only on the behalf of the citizens of the area but the most at-risk communities in the global South who will be directly affected by this reckless and dangerous contribution to further heating of the planet. "

Campaigners have not confirmed whether they will challenge the final decision.

But airport operations director Steve Szalay asked them not to.

He said: "We are eager to get on and deliver this essential project. All being well, we could begin a 6-9 month period of runway construction works in August 2021. Sadly though, the permission may still be subject to a legal challenge. I would encourage the opposition groups not to seek any further delay to the delivery of the construction phase – and the 265 jobs that go with it – by seeking to challenge the permission.  Unemployment is at record levels after the pandemic and the region desperately needs these jobs as soon as possible. Further prevarication will not necessarily change any ultimate decision, but it will delay the benefits that the region desperately needs.”

The  Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Governmenthas been approached for comment.