A desperate plea to say no to a third runway at Heathrow was rejected by Spelthorne Borough Council after it decided to support its development as long as environmental issues could be met.

At a meeting of the executive committee on Tuesday, the cabinet voted to support Government plans and accepted noise and air quality conditions could be met.

Speaking at the meeting councillor Colin Strong, leader of the opposition, urged the executive to simply say no to a third runway and a sixth terminal saying that even though planned developments were to the airport's north it still affected Spelthorne and if it were Stanwell threatened, the executive would say no.

He argued that any new job opportunities would be taken by people from outside Spelthorne, further exacerbating traffic congestion and pollution or putting further pressure on precious green belt by building more homes to accommodate the influx.

Coun Gerald Forsbery, cabinet member for environment believed the airport's development was crucial to the area's employment stability. He said: "The amount of people who work there (Heathrow) and live in Spelthorne is 12,000 to 15,000.

"Heathrow was the the number one airport in the world. Now it is sixth, if we don't keep pace Heathrow is in a great danger of slipping to number 12. I don't want to put the jobs of those who work at the airport in danger."

Coun Denise Grant, cabinet member for children and young people, said: "This is going forward. We won't go ahead if noise or pollution doesn't get insured.

"I was against (expansion) before and this is the best deal we were going to get."

The council's position on Heathrow will now go before the full council meeting on Thursday, February 21.