A bid by Opportunity Peterborough has secured the city a place on the longlist of 65 potential locations that could support £16 billion expansion plans for Heathrow airport.

The plans will create four Logistics Hubs across the country that will participate in offsite construction of Heathrow’s third runway.

“Peterborough has made a very compelling case to become one of Heathrow’s four Logistics Hubs.” Explains Steve Bowyer, chief executive of Opportunity Peterborough. “It’s affordable, we’ve got excellent transport links, gigabit connectivity, and the city has a huge amount of expertise when it comes to manufacturing and engineering.

“As fellow members of the Major Infrastructure Resource Optimisation Group, we know that Heathrow Airport shares Peterborough’s ambition for creating a circular economy. As the Future Peterborough programme is seen as a global leader in this area we know the city can offer real insight to ensure that the runway is sustainably and efficiently produced with minimal waste.

“Securing a Logistics Hub for Heathrow would be a tremendous boost to an already impressive and resilient track records; we’ve seen higher than average growth in terms of GVA and jobs creation in Peterborough at the moment.”

By opening up the supply chain, Heathrow aims to support economic growth across Britain, drawing upon skills and expertise already in place to build a legacy of construction excellence across the country.

Once finalised, the final four selected locations will pre-assemble components of the expanded airport before transporting them in consolidated loads to Heathrow.

Construction of the main components of the runway are expected to start in 2021.
The longlisting of Peterborough as a potential site has been supported by Mayor of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, James Palmer, “I’m delighted that Opportunity Peterborough’s bid for Peterborough to be one of the new Heathrow Airport logistics hubs has been long listed.

“If the bid is successful, it will enable Peterborough to share in the economic and employment benefits associated with the construction of the third run way.”

To read more about Heathrow’s expansion plans visit: heathrowexpansion.com