Heathrow Airport has announced plans to move an incinerator away from Stanwell and create a 15 mile ‘green ring’ around the town.
The airport said it altered its plans after residents raised concerns over its plans to relocate its incinerator to the Bedfont Road area.
A Labour county councillor however has said it is like moving pieces around a chess board.
Stanwell and Stanwell Moor councillor Robert Evans said: “I welcome very much the changes and that is due to the pressure put on BAA by me and the Labour party.
“But local resident Andrew McLuskey has done all the hard work.
“But in saying that, we are still battling away to stop expansion happening at Heathrow at all.
“There are still serious reservations and I don’t believe an expansion of the airport is right for the area or the whole country.
“We are talking semantics here – it’s a big expansion in a very cramped area. It’s like moving pieces around a chess board – whatever we don’t like around Stanwell will be just as massive somewhere else.”
Changes to the plans include introducing a 15 mile ‘green corridor’ which will increase the amount of recreational space between the town and a new car park south to the airport – which has also been reduced in size.
A new park and an all-weather sports pitch is being mooted for the area, as well as the potential building of ‘balancing ponds’ to help control the release of floodwater.
Roberto Tambini, chief executive of Spelthorne Borough Council, said: “We are delighted that Heathrow has listened to and acted upon our feedback in creating its updated expansion plans and that the residents of Spelthorne have been offered an improved deal as a result.
“I am sure that we can work together and that Heathrow will continue to listen to Spelthorne residents and demonstrate a flexible approach to future proposals.”
Some of the £16 billion of private money being invested will also be used to support the Environment Agency in developing flood prevention schemes to protect homes and property in the surrounding areas.
The airport has also announced plans to fund a new bypass to replace the existing A3044 at Colnbrook and Poyle to ease congestion issues.
John Holland-Kaye, chief executive of Heathrow said: “The expansion of Heathrow can bring significant benefits for local people as well as the UK economy.
“As well as bringing 50,000 new jobs and 10,000 apprenticeships, we can also improve the environmental landscape around the airport and mitigate some of today’s problems including road congestion and flooding. We continue to improve our plans based on the feedback we receive.”
The Airports Commission is currently assessing the case for expansion of either Heathrow or Gatwick.