North Hyde Road
Situated in the West London town of Hayes, within the borough of Hillingdon, this neighbourhood area has much to offer those looking for a quintessential suburban lifestyle. The great location near to the Hayes and Hillingdon rail station ensures quick access to the City, but still offers residents that bit more space and greenery, including nearby Lake Farm Country Park, and Minet Country Park. It also has the pleasure of being closely situated near to the Grand Union Canal, which provides another setting for resident enjoyment. The houses here are situated along cohesive streets, with many spaciously boasting their semi-detached form, and private driveways. The area is well served by schools, and there are opportunities for community engagement at several community centres in the neighbourhood. These offer opportunities for education, legal advice, and the coming together of individuals to socialise and have a good time.
In 1913, a German bodybuilder opened a cocoa factory within this particular neighbourhood of Hayes. With the events of World War I, the business was only short lived, and just three years later the building was passed to the Hayes Cocoa Company, owned at the time by the chocolatiers Peter, Cailler, Kohler. This was later acquired by chocolate conglomerates Nestle, and it was in this location that they developed their chocolate and instant coffee works, serving as their UK HQ. The factory still stands on the edge of the canal, and is situated to the east of the railway station. It boasts sophistication and style with its Art Deco frontage, and has been considered by many to be a local landmark of the area. When looking at the road names, the legacy of the chocolate heritage is clear, with Nestles Avenue proudly running through the neighbourhood.
Over time, Hayes has been home to six different cinemas. Even more interesting - the building that is now the site of Poundland on Station Road, was used in 1913 for the town’s original cinema, called The Hayes Cinema!
This neighbourhood area is situated between a number of main transport routes including the M4 to the south, and the main train line to the north. Alongside this, it is in close proximity to Heathrow and is situated within the flight path. The culmination of these factors creates a lot of noise, which has the potential to be very disruptive for those living there. Despite this, there are added benefits of its proximity to these routes, as it facilitates ease of transportation.
With the proximity to Heathrow Airport, the recent decision to develop the third runway will affect this neighbourhood. Whilst it is not in the planned area for runway development, there will be disruption caused by the new addition, and so the airport is offering people living here the opportunity to sell their house as part of the Wider Property Offer Zone. The area is also expecting changes due to the completion of the Elizabeth Line, which runs through the area and stops at Hayes & Harlington Station. These transport updates allow for better access to London, alongside an anticipated general improvement in the area surrounding the station in a bid to regenerate the existing neighbourhood.