Heston Aerodrome - Expansion Plans

Expansion Plans

During the late 1930s, the British government had been studying the future of air transport and airports in the London area. It had been decided that London would be served by four airports - Croydon, Heston, and new airfields at Fairlop in Essex and Lullingstone, Kent. To this end, improvements and extensions had already begun at Heston, with the intention of bringing it up to the most modern standards of airports elsewhere in Europe. New drainage was put in, and trees near the flight path were removed. Runway lighting and radio aids to landing were installed. Land and buildings around the site were bought up for expansion, including St Mary's Boys Orphanage in North Hyde that was demolished. In 1937, the airport was bought by the Air Ministry, and developed to become almost as large as Croydon Airport, making it London's second airport at that time. Imperial Airways served the British Empire from Croydon, and British Airways served European destinations from Heston. The area of the landing field was then 3,540 feet by 2,700 feet.

The Air Ministry (Heston and Kenley Aerodromes Extension) Act 1939 authorised the compulsory purchase of land, and road closures needed for further expansion. The plans did not meet with universal approval, especially from the Heston Aircraft Company, whose production facility on the site was planned to be demolished in December 1939. In 1939 work on this expansion started, demolishing some houses in or near Cranford, but the start of WWII stopped this.