Heathrow Gateway

Boosting London’s economy with a new Airport City

Masterplanning

Renewal

Opportunity and capacity study

Heathrow Airport offers a huge opportunity for economic change and development but historically airport growth has taken place with little consideration of how the surrounding neighbourhoods may benefit. The London Borough of Hounslow is now taking a more progressive approach and commissioned Urban initiatives to explore the opportunities that the proximity to the airport, and its potential expansion, could bring to the West of the Borough. Following on from an initial vision exercise we prepared a high-level feasibility study to investigate the scope for development and the capacity of sites.

A new urban extension providing up 5,000 new homes could emerge on the patchwork of fields and low-grade industrial sites to the south of Heathrow Airport and two significant new employment areas, Heathrow Gateway and Airport Business Park could be created delivering up to 13,000 new jobs, many intrinsically linked with the airport. Development could include 150,000 sqm of new office floor space, 145,000 sqm of new industrial floor space, 8,000 sqm of new retail floor space and several new hotels.

These areas could be served by a new rail link that would provide quick connection both with the airport and with central London and would benefit from new green links, enhanced public spaces and other community infrastructure. The Capacity Study forms part of the evidence base for the Council’s emerging Local Plan.

CLIENT
London Borough of Southwark and London Borough of Hounslow
LOCATION
Hounslow, London, UK
SERVICES
Renewal, Co-Design, Policy, Masterplanning
DATES
2016 - 2017
PROJECT OUTCOMES

Project was showcased at MIPIM
Provides evidence base for the West of
Borough Plan Local Plan Revision

COLLABORATORS

Avison Young