Our work includes promoting the airport’s role in providing jobs and skills to local people and advocating for the better use of airspace to reduce noise impacts on local people.
We also call for improved sustainable transport links to the airport and the surrounding areas to reduce congestion and tackle poor air quality.
More recently our work has included exploring the potential impacts of new forms of technology on our members (including electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft – eVTOL – and drones).
Heathrow Strategic Planning Group (HSPG) is a voluntary partnership of local authorities in the area surrounding Heathrow Airport which are engaged in planning for the development of the sub-region and ensuring that the airport is operated and developed in a way that is well planned and sustainable for the communities that live around it. The Group is supported by a small Secretariat Team funded by the Full Members.
The Full Members of the Heathrow Strategic Planning Group are:
Heathrow Airport Ltd
Elmbridge Borough Council
London Borough of Ealing
London Borough of Hounslow
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
Runnymede Borough Council
Slough Borough Council
Spelthorne Borough Council
Surrey County Council
Other organisations participate in many of the activities of the HSPG, many with ‘Observer’ status, including:
Buckinghamshire Council
Colne Valley Regional Park
Council for the Independent Scrutiny of Heathrow Airport
Department for Transport (Aviation Team) and other Government Departments
Environment Agency
Heathrow Transport Area Forum
National Highways
London Borough of Hillingdon
London Borough of Richmond
Natural England
Strategic Aviation Special Interest Group (of the Local Government Association)
Transport for London
West London Alliance (of West London Boroughs)
West London Business
Relationship with Heathrow Airport
The HSPG is independent, but works closely with, the airport operator Heathrow Airport Limited.
The partnership board is the key discussion forum for Council Leaders (or nominees such as a relevant Portfolio Holder) and other Leaders of the member organisations. The meeting provides a regular slot for Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) to collectively update key community stakeholders on strategic matters and is typically attended by typically attended by a senior member of HAL’s management team. When required, this board will formally determine the strategic direction and any collective ‘decisions’ of HSPG. The Board is supported by the HSPG Core Team.
Representatives at the Chief Executive level from a representative sample of our membership attend our quarterly Chief Executive Steering Board to provide overall strategic direction to the partnership and advise on progression of particular projects and initiatives.
Our four specialist sub-groups meet from regularly (typically bi-monthly) to review a wide range of technical matters relevant for members. The four groups are:
These are attended by specialist lead technical officers.
The Group is supported by a small Core Team of consultants under contract to Hounslow Council as the group’s accountable body. Together with administration support provide by Slough, these consultants provide the secretariat for the group. The Team can be contacted using the details on the ‘Contact Us’ page.
HSPG is funded by member contributions but also receives some financial support from Heathrow Airport because it provides the airport with a more efficient means of engaging the member authorities. HSPG has also been successful in attracting funding from Government programmes for specific activities.