Campaigners fighting plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport feel “concerned but not defeated” after Cabinet backed the controversial extension.

Members of HACAN East, many of whom live in Leyton, Leytonstone and Wanstead, oppose the £14bn project on the grounds that it will increase aircraft noise in their neighbourhoods and worsen the problem of air pollution.

On Tuesday, June 5, Cabinet signed off the plans for a new runway which could be completed by 2026.

A vote by MPs, expected to take place within the next three weeks, will decide if the extension which would mean hundreds of extra flights every day in London, gets the green light.

John Stewart, chairman of the group, said: “My initial reaction was that this was bad news for people living in London because it would mean more noise and more air pollution and a lower quality of life.

“It will mean nearly 700 extra planes a day using Heathrow and it’s almost certain there will be more planes over Leyton and Leytonstone.

“We’ve had a good number of people from the Leytonstone and Leyton areas contacting us who are suffering badly from the aircrafts from both Heathrow and London City and they are very worried about a third runway.

“The mood (of campaigners) is of concern but not of defeat because there’s so much uncertainty as to whether the third runway will even see the light of day.”

Waltham Forest residents living directly beneath flight paths said their communities were transformed into “noise ghettos” in February 2016 when City Airport concentrated its flight paths.

The move, meant the flight space was narrowed and a higher number of planes now fly over homes directly under it.

Mr Stewart said it would be “a surprise” if the Government was to lose the vote but hopes many Labour and SNP MPs would oppose an additional runway.

If approved, he expects local authorities in west London to mount legal challenges which would be a “hurdle” for the runway.

He added: “Then there’s building the runway – it’s not going to be easy, it’s going to have to be built over the M25.

“There’s a huge climate of uncertainty remaining. We will continue to oppose it.”

Mr Stewart insists HACAN East has listened to the views of those in favour of a third runway and appreciates the benefits it would bring to west London.

“We understand the arguments for a third runway,” he said.

“If you build a project of this size anywhere you are going to create some jobs and economic benefits and I think no one can deny that reality.

“But what we are saying is that the negative impacts outweigh the benefits.

“John Cryer has been very supportive. It’s an important voice because it’s coming from an area some distance away from Heathrow and it emphasizes the fact that it’s not just a west London problem.”

In March, a report by the Transport Select Committee, recommended a series of “tougher conditions” before the third runway was approved.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling announced £2.6bn in compensation for residents and noise abatement measures after Cabinet approved the plans.

These included the night time ban on planes to be extended to seven hours.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, backed HACAN East’s campaign last year.

Campaigners say they will wait to see how the vote by MPs goes before planning how to take their fight forward.