There might not be many Londoners who can place the neighbourhood of Hatton on a map, but that doesn’t mean that the area is lacking in what it can offer. Despite the fact that many of the roads are multi lane streets, catering to cars instead of pedestrians, there are still many families who have been drawn to the neighbourhood. Packed with extremely affordable homes, most of which sit within spacious post-war blocks of flats, the neighbourhood’s inexpensive housing market makes the move out of Central London worth it to many. For those who work in or around Heathrow Airport, the commute could not be any shorter! During their off hours, locals love visiting the exotic animals at Hounslow Urban Farm, strolling along the River Crane, and grabbing pints at the Green Man. There’s a surprising number of things to enjoy in Hatton that go beyond the airport!

The neighbourhood of Hatton was initially the site of one of Edward III’s homes. The area got its name - originally “Heath Ton” - from the heath that bordered the lands. Later on, in the 20th century, a good portion of the neighbourhood was wiped out to make way for warehouses. With Heathrow Airport nearby, the area needed plenty of service buildings to support the different carriers. Today, the neighbourhood still has residential areas, but a good portion of the area caters towards the airport.

Local favourite, Green Man Pub, is a historical fixture in the neighbourhood. It dates back to the 17th century, when it had stables attached to it for its overnight visitors.

Unfortunately, this neighbourhood borders Heathrow Airport, resulting in a noisy environment. Nevertheless, residents quickly get used to the sounds of airplanes. Some even enjoy being able to spot which flights are heading out!

The borough of Hounslow and the authorities in charge of Heathrow Airport recently acknowledged the noise pollution issues that exist throughout the neighbourhood. The council has worked to research potential solutions to the noise that is generated from the flight paths that extend over the area. Their first step has been to put out a request for resident complaints and proposals. Heathrow Airport has taken similar steps, releasing reports on complaints related to noise pollution receased from the surrounding neighbourhoods and even Greater London. Heathrow Airport released their ‘Quieter Homes Scheme’ to provide practical support to those homeowners most affected by aircraft noise. They independently assess each home to determine which noise insulation measures would be most effective and pay the full cost of carrying out the work. Heathrow Airport also promised to quadruple the number of homes eligible for noise insulation should it get a third runway, as it nearly tripled the amount of compensation available. In February 2021, Heathrow announced that following consultation with local residents it increasing its scheme to £700m and extending the offer to some 160,000 homes - including properties as far away as Windsor and Richmond. That said, as plans for the runway are now on hold, it’s not entirely certain how that will affect the scheme.