Peter Woodman

Green protesters from the Camp for Climate Action will join those opposed to expansion at Heathrow airport for a strategy conference next week.

Local residents, trade unionists and MPs will be among those at the conference in Harlington, west London, on July 26. The various groups will plan their next step should the government give the go-ahead later this year to expansion at Heathrow which would involve a third runway, more use of existing runways and, possibly, a sixth terminal.

John Stewart, chairman of Heathrow anti-expansion group Hacan, said plans could range from "mass letter-writing to mass direct action".

On July 27, the Camp for Climate Action protesters will set off on a "climate caravan" from the village of Sipson near Heathrow to Kingsnorth in the Medway area of Kent where this year's climate camp is being held.

Last year, the camp was held at Heathrow. This year's protest is from August 4-11 at the site of Kingsnorth power station owned by the E.ON company and where there are plans for the UK's first new coal-fired power station for 30 years.

Protesters have said they want to force the existing power station to shut. E.ON has been granted a court injunction to protect the site.