News

Launch of LoCATE focussed on stimulating business and enterprise at Biggin Hill

Date posted: 12-04-2011

LoCATE @ Biggin Hill is a 21st century vision for aviation-led economic growth at one of London’s major economic centres. It encapsulates the expression ‘London Centre for Aviation Technology & Enterprise’.

It embraces a cluster of stakeholder businesses from the private and public sector who have identified the wealth of benefit available by focussing on Biggin Hill as a destination for business and enterprise, maximising the economic development potential and working to share the wide range of opportunities and benefits with the local community.

The winner in the development initiative will be the 1500 new jobs that can be created, both directly and indirectly, from a successful implementation of a cohesive strategy.

At the heart of this strategy for growth is the Government’s recent ‘Plan for Growth’ which seeks to create the right conditions for businesses to progress by removing barriers that are preventing them from performing to their full potential. When the Chancellor George Osborne and Business Secretary Vince Cable launched the plan last month, he said – “Britain has to earn its way in the modern world. We have to become much more productive so that we can lead a high-tech, highly skilled economy. We must build a new model of economic growth – where instead of borrowing from the rest of the world, we invest and we save and we export. Our economy must become more balanced”.

The four strategic initiatives for LoCATE @ Biggin Hill are: -

• GROW – by delivering on development potential for both aviation-related and non-aviation businesses. More buildings utilised.
• CONNECT – using the role and purpose of the airport to connect with local people through business and tapping into a global economy.
• INSPIRE – harnessing the dynamism and diversity of local companies to enhance skills and competitiveness. The planned Academy will play a key role in these issues, contributing to the training of young people.
• IDENTIFY – by engaging with the strong heritage alongside a branding for the cluster of businesses.

The Mayor of London has identified Biggin Hill as a Strategic Outer London Development Centre (SOLDC) in the latest draft London Plan. This important new status focuses on the need to move forward in order to maintain competitive advantage, making 2011 the right time to start moving Biggin Hill upwards to a higher level of development.

Jenny Munro, the airport’s newly appointed MD, says that LoCATE @ Biggin Hill is going to be a vital component for a long term, high level framework geared to future growth.

“These are exciting times for Biggin Hill Airport, its strategic stakeholders and the surrounding community. LoCATE @ Biggin Hill is the output of a significant amount of work and collaboration which serves to articulate the value and potential of Biggin Hill as a centre for inward investment, business development, job creation, skills upgrade and prosperity. It will fully support the future development of Bromley’s Local Plan as well as Biggin Hill’s position as an SOLDC” says Jenny Munro.

Biggin Hill already employs over 1,000 people, many of them having advanced skills in the aerospace industry. It is one of the largest employment centres in the London Borough of Bromley and has benefited from more than £20M of new capital investment since 2005. Direct and indirect spending provides an economic and fiscal boost to Bromley and the Council.

Biggin Hill has a special character owed in part to its historic legacy. It possesses a sense of place and has realised a genuine global reach as the aerospace partner companies are consistently proving.

Please visit LoCATE at http://www.locateatbigginhill.co.uk/locate/home