Heathrow team touch-down in Havering
Havering is bidding to be one of the Heathrow Logistics Hubs by highlighting Rainham’s unrivalled connectivity to Heathrow by rail, road, river and air.
The proposed location is in the centre of the Riverside Opportunity area that stretches from Newham through to South Essex.
Around 70 transport and logistics companies are already based in the area alongside a growing engineering sector presence and construction industry training resources.
A successful bid in an area already earmarked for industrial development will help support a growth in employment opportunities for local people and the establishment of a sustainable and innovative manufacturing centre.
A delegation from Heathrow Airport today (Wednesday 20 June) visited SEGRO’s Beam Reach 6 in Rainham as part of a nationwide tour of 65 sites, still in the running to be construction centres for Heathrow expansion. ‘Logistics Hubs’ will help ensure that businesses across the UK can form part of the airport’s supply chain, enabling Heathrow’s new runway to deliver a legacy of construction excellence across the UK.
Logistics Hubs, where components of the airport will be pre-assembled before being transported in consolidated loads to the airport, feature in the Government’s Industrial Strategy, listed as an example of how to develop skills across the UK and create conditions where successful businesses can emerge. Heathrow has also begun working with infrastructure companies to explore how the final sites could be used for future projects, creating a long lasting legacy for Britain.
Heathrow representatives were taken on a tour of part of the location in Consul Avenue Rainham and met with former leader and current Cabinet Member Cllr Roger Ramsey, Senior Havering Council staff and local business leaders including Alan Holland, the Business Unit Director for SEGRO and Ilker Dervish, the Chair of the London Riverside Business Improvement District.
Cllr Damian White, the Leader of Havering Council, said:
“It’s great to be shortlisted and we will be demonstrating all the reasons we think this site would be an ideal location for one of Heathrow’s Logistics Hubs. Whichever way you look at this, Havering is special. We have the connections, infrastructure, and skilled workforce, coupled with drive and ambition, to make this a success. With sustainability and the support of a leading, experienced logistics and development partner at the heart of this bid, we can deliver a lasting legacy for the Thames Gateway and east London region.”
Alan Holland, SEGRO Greater London Business Unit Director, said:
“We have long argued that for Britain to succeed in the global economy, we need new hub capacity and that means expanding Heathrow. Its growth will benefit regions across the UK and we’re delighted that our site at Beam Reach 6 has been shortlisted as a potential off-site construction logistics hub.”