Residents in Heston are organising to fight a proposed development at Rectory Farm, with concerns focusing on its potential use as an open cast mine for a 12-year period.
Residents fear the development will cause a sharp increase in the number of HGVs on the local road network, as well as increases to noise and air pollution. Concerns have also been raised about the lack of clear proposals to turn the land into an open access park at the end of the 12-year period.
Taz Virdee announced the formation of a new residents' group, Friends of Rectory Farm, at the Heston and Cranford Area Forum meeting on Tuesday, 7 October 2025. The group aims to petition landowners against the proposed development of the site and will maintain a website to keep the local community updated on the planning process and the ways they can respond and give their views on the proposals.
Mr. Virdee encouraged interested parties to join the mailing list to stay updated on the planning process and express their views on the proposals. He also thanked the chair for guidance on engaging with the council.
Councillor Karamat Malik stated that he attended the consultation event and had forwarded the email to local residents who had also been present. He sought to assure residents that he would support their interests as on this matter for as long as he was a councillor.
Councillor Shivraj Grewal confirmed that no formal planning application had yet been submitted to the Council as yet but sought to assure the meeting that the Planning Committee would make a decision on any submitted application. He indicated that only members of Heston West ward had been officially invited to the consultation event by the developers.
It is expected that the Rectory Farm development could affect residents in Cranford and Heston East wards, as well as those who use local roads and travel into the area for school or work.
Another resident pointed out that such proposals did not only impact those who lived close to the proposed development site but also affected those who used local roads and travelled into the area for school or work. This was particularly important for this site, which was expected to impact the area for 12 years or more.
The Chair thanked those who had attended the consultation events and provided their observations. He stated that it was incumbent on the developers to consult on the proposals and to produce detailed information including ecology reports as required. He encouraged residents and community groups to make their feelings known once the application was submitted for formal consultation.
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 21 January 2026. For more information, visit the Heston and Cranford Area Forum page on the council's website.