Heathrow Airport has completed its nationwide tour of 65 potential sites to host a logistics hub as part of the Airport's £14 billion expansion project.

Over the past six months, Heathrow representatives have visited various sites across the UK to identify the location for the future hubs, which will be used for off-site construction to make the multi-billion expansion more affordable and sustainable by transporting assembled components in consolidated loads.

The tour has finally concluded in the Midlands, with the Heathrow team visiting sites from Balfour Beatty, SEGRO and Prologis located in Tamworth, Derby and Daventry. A shortlist of potential Logistics Hubs will be announced early in 2019, before the final four sites are announced later in the year. Construction is then set to begin on site in 2021.

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Emma Gilthorpe, Expansion Executive Director at Heathrow said: "Heathrow expansion is much more than the delivery of Britain's new runway. Expansion is a once in a generation opportunity to transform British construction as the country prepares for life post-Brexit. This nationwide tour has shown us the possibilities offsite construction offers and we're looking forward to announcing the shortlist early next year."

Business & Industry Minister Richard Harrington said: "We want the UK to lead the bytes and mortar revolution within the built environment and our Construction Sector Deal lays the foundation to take advantage of these opportunities – boosting productivity, creating better jobs and increasing new offsite manufacturing technologies to speed up construction.

"The Heathrow Logistics Hubs have the potential to be an example of this modern construction in action, embodying the principles of our Industrial Strategy and benefitting millions by allowing businesses across the UK to harness the strengths of their own regions to deliver a landmark infrastructure project."

(LM/MH)