Heathrow Expansion: Planning Advice for Landowners & Businesses
Heathrow's third runway will require homes, farmland and business premises around Harmondsworth, Sipson, Colnbrook and Poyle, and will change land use for miles around. We are independent Chartered Town Planners based a few miles away in Taplow. We help affected owners put their case on record, protect the planning value of their land and secure permission to relocate. Whatever the timetable, owners who prepare early are in the strongest position.
Get prepared now
Where the Scheme Stands
The Government has chosen Heathrow's own scheme: a northwest runway of up to 3,500 metres, with the M25 realigned in a tunnel beneath it, a new Terminal 5X and upgraded roads and transport. The draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement designates it Critical National Growth Infrastructure, a strong statement of national need that will weigh heavily when the Development Consent Order is decided.
Because need is established at national level, the examination is unlikely to revisit whether Heathrow should expand. What remains open is the detail: the red line boundary, which land is taken temporarily or permanently, access, construction impacts, mitigation and the compensation and property schemes. That is where well-evidenced representations from affected owners make a difference.
Dates after October 2026 are Government and Heathrow expectations and may change. Updated October 2026.
Prepare Now, Whatever the Timetable
A decision on the Development Consent Order is not expected until 2029 and construction will take years, but the evidence that protects your position is easiest to gather now. Planning history, current use, development potential and access needs are all harder to establish once land is blighted, tenants leave or the scheme is fixed.
Owners who prepare early can respond to each stage quickly and consistently, from consultations to the examination and, if land is acquired, the compensation process.
Where you stand
We map your land against the latest scheme plans: permanent land take, temporary construction land, realigned roads and the areas around them.
Planning potential
We review planning history, allocations, Green Belt and grey belt status, and constraints to establish what your land could be permitted for without the scheme.
Evidence of current use
We help you record how the land and buildings are used today, including lawful uses, operational needs and access, before circumstances change.
Strategy for each stage
We set out what to say in consultations, when to register for the examination, and when a Certificate of Appropriate Alternative Development may be worth pursuing.
Relocation options
For businesses, we identify where replacement premises could realistically gain planning permission, before demand for land around Heathrow tightens.
Your adviser team
We work alongside your surveyor and solicitor, so the planning evidence supports the valuation and legal case from the outset.
How We Help
- Written responses to Heathrow's consultation on behalf of landowners, businesses and residents
- Relevant and written representations, and appearances, at the DCO examination
- Planning evidence for compensation: what the land could have been permitted for without the scheme
- Certificates of Appropriate Alternative Development (section 17, Land Compensation Act 1961)
- Planning permission for relocated homes, businesses and operational sites
- Development potential reviews for land near, but outside, the scheme
- Highways and access evidence through our MCIHT-accredited team
- Working alongside your RICS surveyor and solicitor
Who We Help
- →Homeowners and landlords in or near the Compulsory Purchase Zone
- →Farmers and landowners in Harmondsworth, Sipson, Colnbrook, Poyle and Stanwell Moor
- →Industrial, logistics and airport-related businesses facing relocation
- →Owners of development land whose value or prospects are affected by the scheme
- →Parish councils and community groups preparing representations
Why Planning Evidence Matters for Compensation
Compulsory purchase compensation is based on the value of land in the "no-scheme world": what it would be worth if the runway had never been proposed. For many owners, the biggest factor in that value is planning potential. Could the land have been developed for housing, employment or another use? Was it grey belt? Would permission have been granted for more intensive use?
Your surveyor values the land, but the planning case behind that value needs to stand up. We prepare that evidence and, where appropriate, apply for a Certificate of Appropriate Alternative Development, which settles the planning assumption that compensation is based on. We also make sure the same points are raised in consultation and at examination, so the record is consistent from the start.
Heathrow already offers an Interim Property Hardship Scheme, and some owners may be able to serve a statutory blight notice. It has also said it intends to introduce a property bond and relocation support for the Compulsory Purchase Zone. We do not give advice on these schemes or on compensation values, but we work alongside the surveyors and solicitors who do.
Areas Around Heathrow We Cover
Read our guide: Heathrow expansion: how affected landowners and businesses can prepare.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why prepare now if the decision is years away?
Because the evidence is easiest to gather before the scheme is fixed and before blight sets in. Planning history, lawful uses, development potential and access arrangements can all be harder to prove later. Early preparation also means you can respond quickly and consistently at each stage, including consultations, the examination and any compensation process.
When does the Heathrow expansion consultation close?
Heathrow's consultation on its expansion proposals runs from 27 October to 22 December 2026. Responses should be made through the channels Heathrow publishes for the consultation. If your land, home or business is affected, a clear written response made before the deadline puts your concerns on record before the scheme is finalised.
Is this the last chance to comment before the planning application?
Not necessarily, but it may be the main one. Reforms under the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 removed the formal statutory pre-application consultation requirements for nationally significant projects, so there is no guarantee of a further full consultation before Heathrow applies. Once the application is accepted, you can register as an Interested Party and take part in the examination.
Will my land or property be compulsorily acquired?
Heathrow has identified a Compulsory Purchase Zone around the northwest runway, which it estimates includes more than 750 homes, mainly in Harmondsworth and Longford, together with commercial and industrial land. The Development Consent Order is expected to seek compulsory acquisition powers over land within the final red line boundary. The boundary can change through consultation, so check the latest plans for your property.
Are you valuers or solicitors?
No. We are Chartered Town Planners. Compensation is assessed by RICS-qualified surveyors and legal rights are advised on by solicitors. We work alongside your surveyor and solicitor to provide the planning evidence: what development the land could have had without the scheme, the planning case in consultation responses and at examination, and planning permission for replacement premises.
What is a Certificate of Appropriate Alternative Development?
Where land is being acquired compulsorily, either party can apply to the local planning authority under section 17 of the Land Compensation Act 1961 for a certificate stating what development would have been appropriate if there were no scheme. A positive certificate can significantly increase compensation because the land is valued as if it had that planning permission. Preparing the planning case for a certificate is core planning work.
My business needs to relocate. Can you help?
Yes. Businesses displaced by the scheme often need planning permission for replacement premises, sometimes in the Green Belt or the Colne Valley, where availability around Heathrow is tight. We find suitable sites, advise on the planning risk, and prepare the application, with in-house highways expertise for operational and HGV access.
This page is general information based on published Government and Heathrow material as of October 2026. It is not legal or valuation advice. Urban Vista Planning is independent and is not connected with Heathrow Airport Limited.
Affected by Heathrow Expansion?
Book a readiness review. We will look at where your land sits in relation to the scheme, the planning evidence you should gather now, and what to say at each stage, starting with Heathrow's consultation (27 October to 22 December 2026). It starts with a free initial consultation.
Book a Readiness Review