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MP calls for early government action on Heathrow


Regardless of the outcome of the upcoming General Election, Reading West MP Alok Sharma believes "it would be a shame if the next government ducks the question once again” of establishing the UK’s hub airport through building a third runway at Heathrow.


“Personally, I would like to see expansion both at Heathrow and Gatwick, because the reality is that by 2030, based on Department of Transport figures, we are going to be running out of capacity in the southeast overall.”


Heathrow remains a key economic asset to the UK and the Thames Valley, Sharma explained at a


well-attended pre-Election ‘MP on the Record’ event, hosted at Green Park by the Thames Valley Property Forum, assisted by Oxford Properties and McLaren CAFM Explorer.


A third runway at Heathrow would be a logical infrastructure development both nationally and regionally with the impending boosts to transportation brought by the Reading Station upgrade, Crossrail, Western Rail Access to Heathrow (WRAtH), and Great Western route electrification.


Such improvements were making the Reading region very attractive in property terms – “Reading property prices are still significantly lower than


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From left: Alok Sharma MP, Chris Carter-Keall, and Matthew Battle of the Thames Valley Property Forum


London, yet we are on the doorstep of Heathrow and London” – but future economic success was not a foregone conclusion.


Interviewed on stage by Chris Carter- Keall, vice president, head of asset management, Oxford Properties, the local MP added: “Reading has had a huge amount of economic success for many years, but the flip side is that as more people move in and create business communities we need more houses, school places, better infrastructure and I think any MP ought to be pushing for that even more after the Election.”


The proposed rail station at Green Park and new Science Park at Shinfield would be business beneficial, but additional requirements were the removal of road system ‘pinchpoints’ and extra local housing. “We need to be much more imaginative in achieving places for people to live.”


Greater Reading (including Wokingham and Bracknell) has the most productive UK ‘city’ workforce, outside London, according to the 2015 Outlook Report by the Centre for Cities think-tank, Sharma reminded the audience. Reading ranked fifth for start-up businesses, third for the number of businesses per population and second for the highest wages. A skilled local


workforce pool, low unemployment and enviable lifestyle amenities were also key Thames Valley attractions.


But, more should be done collectively to promote “the fantastic location” of Reading on an international level as the place to run a business or base a European headquarters, Sharma added.


“The reality is that we have competition. We need to think bigger, market better, go out and sell Reading if we want more businesses coming here, creating jobs and making it an exciting place to be.”


Referring to east London’s ‘Silicon Roundabout’ hi-tech hotspot, Carter-Keall added: “A tech valley is much better than a tech roundabout, surely.”


Encouragingly, PepsiCo will move into its new 105,000 sq ft head offices at Green Park in August. Chinese telecoms giant Huawei relocated its 140,000 sq ft headquarters to Green Park in 2013.


Asked to highlight three things he would personally like to see achieved by the next government, Sharma cited Heathrow expansion: “It doesn’t mean you can’t expand other regional airports too; a merging of national insurance and income tax; and a review and overhaul of business rates."


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – MAY 2015


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