Hillingdon are an excellent council, well run and efficient, and as much as I like Boris Johnson, the issue that I am furthest from him on is airport expansion. I welcome the Davies report backing a third runway at Heathrow as will most of Hillingdon Chamber of Commerce. Primarily because a strong Heathrow is good for local employment prospects and stable jobs mean good tenants which is in turn good for landlords locally.
I live closer to RAF Northolt, but with a business in Uxbridge just to the north of Heathrow Heathrow’s future is an important local issue.
Heathrow is at capacity, Gatwick is not. The Adam Smith’s invisible hand of commerce has given a giant thumbs up to Heathrow’s location. Take a look at Wikipedia for the worlds busiest airports, 3rd largest year in the league table for 2014, number 6 so far this year (to March) but Heathrow has a slow start to the year and normally climbs the ranks through the year. My point being why squander such a commerce driver for the UK? Invest in a success, back a winner.
Pro-Heathrow Expansion Need to Listen to the Anti’s
There are serious and real issues raised by the anti-Heathrow expansion lobby and they should be addressed and taken to the heart of expansion, designed in to reduce impacts. Matters such as noise, air quality and safety are not small considerations. If Heathrow does expand the cost for Heathrow should be tight controls on noise and emissions from planes. Perhaps banning older more polluting engines from the West London airspace and improving standards over time to reduce emissions. Except of course the Spitfires and Hurricanes that fly in and out of RAF Northolt – they can stay! Indeed Sir Howard’s proposal does contain a number of measures to ensure that a third runway would be a tolerable neighbour.
A Question of Safety
Most airports are located to the east rather than the west of cities to stop them flying in over the city, Heathrow an exception. The risk being larger of a crash over London than to the east of it. Heathrow has a good record but we can’t be complacent. Safety will improve with time as well, and flying is the safest form of travel. By the opening of the third runway where will technology have taken us? I presume to a future where human error is removed.
What Does Heathrow mean to Landlords?
For local landlords Heathrow has the promise of further jobs and security for employment locally. A report from 2011 showed 76,000 employed at Heathrow and 136,000 across London. In West Drayton it’s proximity to jobs in Stockley Park and Heathrow make sites like Parkwest, Admiralty Close and more recent developments viable and the rents requested achievable. Stockley Park is there in part due to it’s proximity to Heathrow. Business is attracted by speedy access to London, European and Global markets and the rest of the country.
As well as securing existing jobs it also means the continued growth of fantastic jobs locally as the area continues to attract multi-national business to Heathrow which will have a long term positive impact on property prices locally. Mind you with a time scale approaching 2050 for the full benefits in local employment and 2030 for completion this isn’t going to happen any time soon.
We are Flying Longhaul
The publication of this report which was started in 2012 is merely the first salvo in what will be a protracted and extended debate that has rattled on for some time which sets the framework for the next airport runway location in the South East. Geoff Hoon announced in Jan 2009 that the government backed Heathrow expansion but this was cancelled with the change in government in 2010.
