A ‘beautiful, environmentally sustainable’ garden city could be on the cards for Heathrow airport if the government goes ahead with building an alternative hub airport in London.

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That’s according to Graeme Bell, vice-president of the Town and Country Planning Association think-tank, who suggested that the airport site could become a mixed-use commercial development – as well as a sustainable residential area for up to 30,000 people.

Proposed garden city wants to be truly sustainable

Furthermore, according to ft.com, the garden city could make full use of the existing transport and commercial infrastructure while providing housing at a ‘lower density’ than other developments.

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If the proposed garden city wants to be truly sustainable then interior cladding on the properties may have to be considered, as well as other green efficiencies – like solar power panels and transpired solar collectors. Although how the sustainable principles are to be implemented is yet to be seen.

Inspiration came from personal experience

Cited by thisislondon.co.uk, Bell stated that the idea for the garden city came to him when he avoided parking in a BAA complex and decided to park in one of the streets close to the runways.

“I was aware of the colossal noise when planes were taking off and the awful smell. It really can’t be doing you any good to live with that noise and smell. I thought, ‘This is a really bad use of a piece of land inside the M25’. Airports ought to be accessible but outside the city limits,” he explained.