Our Role

Diagram showing three interconnected concepts: community and people, focus and knowledge, airport. The community circle is connected to the focus and knowledge circle, which in turn connects to the airport.

We’re the public-facing information arm of the Heathrow Expansion Independent Community Engagement Board (HEICEB), a sub-committee of CISHA.

The Council for the Independent Scrutiny of Heathrow Airport (CISHA) was established to perform the functions of an Airport Consultative Committee with a strong focus on the day-to-day activities of Heathrow Airport and their impact on stakeholders and communities, as well as on any future developments (as outlined in the DfT Guidelines for ACCs).

Following the publication of the Airports National Policy Statement in 2018, CISHA and its predecessor, the Heathrow Community Engagement Board Ltd, were given additional responsibilities regarding community engagement in the event of airport expansion. These extra responsibilities were suspended during the pandemic, with plans put in place for activation when and if Heathrow Airport Ltd returned to an expansion mode. That moment has now arrived, and we will increase our activity and resourcing moving forward.

This site is focused on all matters relating to expansion.

What each of these groups do

The groups are working as one to ensure your voices are heard. Each one has a particular role.

  • The Council for the Independent Scrutiny of Heathrow Airport (CISHA): An independent body, which ensures independent oversight of the way Heathrow Airport engages with stakeholders. It holds the airport to account and helps ensure it is the best neighbour it can be.

  • The Heathrow Expansion Independent Community Engagement Board (HEICEB): HEICEB operates as a sub-committee of CISHA, established to help ensure that local communities can contribute effectively to the development of the airport, should expansion proceed.

  • Heathrow Expansion Watch (HEW): Heathrow Expansion Watch (HEW) is the public-facing information arm of the Heathrow Expansion Independent Community Engagement Board (HEICEB), a sub-committee of CISHA.