There is no plan for any "SH operation on the shorter runway".
No, that was me reverting back to the original from when I worked there.
It's hard to keep up with the different designs once you are out of the loop. That being said what is actually being built will likely be different again and we could well see a return to the shorter runway.
The point I was trying to make however, was that the new capacity created from a new runway changes the dynamic at LHR and it's not just about the value of the slots anymore. New LH routes would be fed in part by the new regional routes and there would be enough capacity freed up for both. A fourth runway would have been even better of course and there is so much money to be saved by building it at the same time but that won't happen.
VAT is recoverable if you are a company and CT?? That s why people employ accountants.....
VAT is recovered on most things yes but there will still be considerable VAT generated from a project this size. CT will be paid on profits and the accountant is there so you only pay that and not 40%.