Introducing Tony Wong, Director of HEICEB

I am delighted to have recently joined the Heathrow Expansion Independent Community Engagement Board (HEICEB) as Director. Having spent much of my career working alongside communities to help them influence decisions that affect their lives, I am excited to be bringing that experience to one of the UK's most significant infrastructure projects.

HEICEB was established to help ensure that local communities can contribute effectively to the delivery of expansion, including consultations and evidence gathering throughout the planning process. As an independent body, our role is not to take a position for or against expansion, but to help create opportunities for informed, transparent and meaningful engagement, ensuring that community voices are heard.

Over the past few months, my focus has been on laying the foundations for HEICEB's next phase. This has included developing our strategic direction, strengthening our governance arrangements, meeting with community representatives and local stakeholders, working closely with Government and Heathrow Airport Limited on their consultation plans, and beginning discussions with Heathrow West about how communities can be effectively engaged as their proposals develop.

Looking ahead, our priority is to make it easier for communities to understand what is happening, why it matters and how they can get involved. That includes developing a refreshed approach to communications through Heathrow Expansion Watch, our dedicated source of news, information and updates on the expansion programme.

Above all, I want HEICEB to be recognised as a trusted, accessible and independent source of information and engagement. I am looking forward to meeting many more residents, community organisations and local partners in the months ahead, listening to the issues that matter most to them, and helping ensure communities have a meaningful voice throughout this nationally significant process. 

Tony