Arora Group has appointed Michael Grade as chair of its Heathrow Expansion Advisory Board.
The appointment comes at an important time for the group as it continues to push for a new, more efficient approach to expansion at Heathrow by introducing competition that it says will benefit both the passengers and the airlines.
As the largest landowner in the area marked for expansion at the airport, the Arora Group has put forward proposed changes to Heathrow Airport Limited’s own plans.
They include reducing land taken by 20%; ensuring carbon emissions are at the very least no worse than current levels and offering alternative housing to impacted residents as an alternative option to compulsory purchase.
Lord Grade was chairman of the BBC from 2004 to 2006 and executive chairman of ITV plc from 2007 to 2009. He was appointed to the House of Lords as a Conservative peer in 2011.
He described the appointment as ‘exciting’, adding: "I have been following their proposals closely and am keen to support the sustainable success of this iconic British transport and business hub."
Other members of the advisory board include Sir Rod Eddington, former CEO of British Airways; Mike Clasper CBE, former CEO of BAA plc and Robert Webb QC, former General Counsel of British Airways, from 1998 to 2009.
The Arora Group is a privately owned property group, which develops, owns, and manages a diverse portfolio of assets, with a strategic focus on the UK’s business hubs and airport locations.
