The Council for the Independent Scrutiny of Heathrow Airport (CISHA) has published a comprehensive report detailing the views of more than 1,000 residents living around Heathrow Airport. The research, carried out by The Kaizen Partnership between November 2025 and June 2026, provides the latest insight into local attitudes toward the proposed third runway and wider expansion plans.
Key findings show that 84 % of respondents want greater opportunities to influence decision‑making, while half of those surveyed have never been consulted by Heathrow Airport before. Over half (56 %) identified potential local job opportunities as a benefit of expansion, yet participants also voiced concerns about construction impacts, home relocation, and the quality of life in their neighbourhoods.
The outreach spanned 76 days across three phases, employing door‑knocking, street engagement, small‑group discussions and surveys to reach groups often missed in formal consultations, such as renters, young people, and Black and Asian residents. The report stresses the need for transparent communication of employment and training prospects, clear commitments to local investment, and mechanisms that allow residents to shape how economic benefits are defined and delivered.
CISHA will use the evidence to shape its response to Heathrow Airport’s community engagement strategy and to the Department for Transport’s draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement. The organisation also calls for improved interim compensation routes for homeowners and renters, and for broader inclusion of seldom‑heard groups in future engagement processes.
