Expanding Heathrow Airport is predicted to create up to 12,000 new jobs for the West Midlands, members of the Herefordshire Conservative Business Forum heard.

Guest speaker Sophie Carter, Senior Public Affairs Manager at Heathrow Airport, joined the forum at the Harewood End Inn on Friday, January 19th.

She said that the while the airport’s third-runway project was complex, it would create regional benefits and businesses should be prepared.

Heathrow is holding Business Summits across the UK, where regional Small and Medium Enterprises could meet with the leading suppliers to forge connections locally, nationally and internationally.

One would be in Cardiff in July, with another in the West Midlands in November. Currently Heathrow has 1,200 suppliers across the UK providing everything from giant Christmas baubles to steel girders and widgets.

Sophie also stressed the speed and reliability of air freight and the range of products carried - with salmon, books, whisky and jet parts the top four by weight.

Heathrow is in competition with Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Paris, she said, but already losing business because it is at 98 per cent capacity and therefore charges a congestion premium.

Dubai is now the busiest airport in the world, which makes the expansion of Heathrow vital to maintain its profile, she suggested.

The third runway would not be in operation until 2025/2026, should the final Parliamentary vote be positive.

Forum chairman Anthea McIntyre, Conservative MEP for the West Midlands, encouraged all local businesses to think seriously about attending either of the summits.

She said: “Even though I have always favoured expansion of the regional airports, especially Birmingham, over a third runway for Heathrow, businesses should be aware of the possible opportunities open to them. If this runway does go ahead, we should make sure that the whole of the UK benefits, not just London and the South East.”