The Spelthorne village of Littleton sits in leafy Surrey, to the south of Greater London, neighbouring Ashford and Twickenham, and is not far from Hounslow. This neighbourhood is close to London’s M25 making it quite a distance from central London, though this does prove convenient for those who drive regularly. Heathrow Airport is less than 15 minutes away, meaning that air and underground rail travel is at arm’s reach. The north of the area is dominated by the vast Queen Mary Reservoir, offering residents and visitors an array of water-based activities such as sailing, kayaking, and windsurfing. While there is little by way of a high street locally, the nearby towns of Shepperton and Ashford provide all the resources one could ask for, including semi-regular trains into central London. This, alongside the large suburban houses, has meant the neighbourhood has become a popular area for commuting families.

Spelthorne is in the 1086 Domesday Book, under the section of Middlesex. The Queen Mary Reservoir was a response to a rapidly growing London population and the need to supply water to its residents. It was designed in 1911 and finally opened in 1925 by King George V, who requested the new reservoir be named after his wife Mary. Spelthorne hosts lots of local sports such as the Queen Mary sailing club established in 1972, or local rugby teams such as London Irish who were established in 1898.

The Queen Mary Reservoir is one of London’s largest fresh water reservoirs, with a capacity of 6.7 million gallons! Its perimeter is nearly four miles and the City of London could easily fit inside it.

The area does not benefit from the multiculturalism that many areas of inner London do, due to its population being 87% white British. Its proximity to Heathrow can also sometimes prove problematic due to the noise pollution the airport causes. Most residents don’t mind though, citing the transport infrastructure that the airport brings makes the noise worthwhile. It also keeps the house prices affordable!

Heathrow Airport’s planned expansion will see up to £187 billion in economic growth as well as up to 40,000 new local jobs created. That said, Heathrow’s plans have suffered from a number delays, postponements and changes: new emissions targets make the expansion difficult to achieve, the 2020-2021 pandemic has led to new projections that push the need for expansion 5 years to the future. The Heathrow Launchpad, part of the expansion proposal, was due to open in the Spring of 2019 and was a partnership between Spelthorne Borough Council, Royal Holloway University and University of Surrey that would offer business incubation space for start-ups in the science, technology and creative sectors.