Hillingdon is the westernmost London borough and the second largest of the 32 by area. It was formed in 1965 from Hayes and Harlington, Ruislip-Northwood, Uxbridge, and Yiewsley and West Drayton, and it contains Heathrow Airport, Brunel University and RAF Northolt. Wikipedia ranks its economy 14th of 408 local area districts in Britain and fifth among the London boroughs.
We arrange business mortgages; we do not lend. Our clients are trading companies that want to own, or refinance, the premises they work from anywhere in Hillingdon. The loan is secured on that commercial building and is a different product from a residential mortgage. We prepare the case and take it to the lenders whose criteria match your company and property.
Which premises do Hillingdon, West London companies buy with premises finance?
Heathrow shapes the south of the borough. British Airways has its headquarters at Waterside in Harmondsworth, Guoman Hotel Management runs its head office from the Thistle London Heathrow in West Drayton, and airline offices have long clustered around Hayes and Harlington. That concentration supports a chain of smaller businesses: freight forwarders, couriers, aircraft parts suppliers, vehicle hire, catering and cleaning contractors, all needing warehouses, yards and trade units within reach of the airport.
The north is quieter. Ruislip, Northwood and Eastcote grew as "Metro-land" after the Metropolitan Railway reached Uxbridge, and their high streets suit professional practices, clinics and independent retailers. Uxbridge Business Park, where Cadbury plc moved into Cadbury House in 2008, shows the borough's office side. Our page on business mortgages sets out what lenders look for.
Airport trades, hauliers and big employers around Uxbridge and Hayes
ONS UK Business Counts 2026, local units.
Show as a table
| Sector | Businesses | Hillingdon share | UK share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction and building trades | 2,905 | 16.8% | 12.4% |
| Professional, scientific and technical | 2,020 | 11.7% | 13.9% |
| Retail | 1,775 | 10.3% | 9.4% |
| Transport, logistics and storage | 1,470 | 8.5% | 4.2% |
| Business support services | 1,465 | 8.5% | 8.1% |
| Information and communication | 1,345 | 7.8% | 6.1% |
| Restaurants, cafes and pubs | 985 | 5.7% | 6.2% |
| Wholesale | 790 | 4.6% | 3.7% |
| Property | 785 | 4.6% | 4.5% |
- 13.7xair transport75 businesses
- 2.7xwarehousing and logistics375 businesses
- 2.1xroad haulage and land transport785 businesses
- 1.8xbuilding construction1,235 businesses
A figure of 2.0x means the trade makes up twice the share of local businesses that it does across the UK.
Heathrow shapes Hillingdon's economy in the numbers. Air transport businesses appear at 13.7 times the UK share, warehousing and transport support at 2.71 times, and transport and logistics as a whole make up 8.5% of the borough's 17,260 firms against 4.2% nationally. The borough also hosts 105 large employers with 250 or more staff.
Freight forwarders, couriers and airside service firms looking to own a unit near the airport can find themselves bidding against investors for the same stock. A trading company that buys its own warehouse needs to show the business can carry the debt without relying on the property's investment value.
How does Heathrow change an owner-occupier mortgage in Hillingdon, England?
A valuer looks at who else could use a building if your company left. Near the airport, the answer is often a long list of logistics and aviation businesses, which can help a warehouse or trade unit. Further north, specialist buildings in residential areas may have a narrower pool of buyers, and the loan to value can reflect that.
Transport links feed the same judgement. The borough has stations from Uxbridge and Ruislip on the Underground to Hayes and Harlington and West Drayton on the main line, plus the Heathrow terminal stations. The A40 passes RAF Northolt in South Ruislip. In March 2011, driving was the main way to work for 34.5% of residents aged 16 to 74, so parking and loading space are worth noting in any valuation.
Hillingdon's rating list: retail down a fifth, offices up 36%
Valuation Office Agency, non-domestic rating stock of properties, March 2026. Average rateable value is the VOA's estimate of annual rent, not a sale price.
- Industrial and warehouse1,760properties on the rating listUp 12.1% since 2016Average rateable value £95,200factories, workshops, warehouses and trade units
- Offices2,530properties on the rating listUp 36% since 2016Average rateable value £50,000offices, including converted buildings
- Shops and retail2,500properties on the rating listDown 20.4% since 2016Average rateable value £78,800shops, showrooms and retail warehouses
- Other commercial1,970properties on the rating listUp 22.4% since 2016Average rateable value £168,900pubs, hotels, surgeries, nurseries, garages and more
Business parks near Heathrow and Uxbridge, from Waterway to Alder
Named estates and parks listed on Google Maps near Hillingdon, October 2026. Listed to show where premises trade locally; we have no connection with the owners or agents.
- Waterway Business ParkHayes UB3 1ET
- Abenglen Industrial EstateHayes UB3 1SS
- Alder Industrial EstateHayes UB3 1ST
- Hazelmere Industrial EstateWest Drayton UB7 8PG
- Aberglen Industrial EstateHayes UB3 1SS
- Zinda 3 Orbital Industrial EstateWest Drayton UB7 8HP
- Crown Business ParkWest Drayton UB7 8HZ
- Speedway Industrial EstateHayes UB3 1DS
- Westminster Business CentreHayes UB3 1AP
- Silverdale Industrial EstateHayes UB3 3BX
- Silverdale Industrial ParkSilverdale Industrial Estate, Silverdale Rd, Hayes UB3 3BL
- Pump Lane Industrial EstateHayes
Hillingdon's rating list has moved sharply since 2016. Shop numbers fell 20.4%, from 3,140 to 2,500, while offices rose 36% and industrial units grew 12.1% to 1,760. Values are high: the average industrial unit carries a rateable value of £95,200, and across all premises the figure is £94,000. Bigger buildings mean bigger loans, so expect a valuer to scrutinise access, eaves height and yard space closely.
What does a commercial property loan in the Borough of Hillingdon cost up front?
Lenders active in owner-occupier lending typically go to 70 to 75% of the price or valuation, whichever is lower, occasionally 80% for strong cases. Indicative rates are 6.0 to 7.5% a year over 5 to 25 years, with arrangement fees of 1 to 2%, subject to status, accounts and valuation. Stamp Duty Land Tax at non-residential rates is 0% up to £150,000, 2% from £150,001 to £250,000 and 5% above £250,000 (HMRC; rates as at October 2026; check the current rates before you buy).
Illustrative example. A freight forwarder buys a freehold warehouse near Hayes for £1,000,000. A 75% loan is £750,000, leaving a £250,000 deposit. SDLT is £39,500, so the company needs around £289,500 before fees. The costs page lists the other charges to budget for.
Planning, legal charge and FCA status when buying business property in Hillingdon
Planning decisions sit with the London Borough of Hillingdon. A lender's solicitor checks that the building's current use is lawful, and that matters near the airport, where offices, warehouses and hotels have often changed hands and uses. Land in the rural north and around RAF Northolt may carry further restrictions.
Security is a first legal charge registered at HM Land Registry, usually with a debenture or personal guarantees. Commercial lending to a limited company is unregulated and falls outside the FCA's regulated mortgage perimeter. If a deal would be regulated by the FCA, for example lending to a sole trader or individual, or a property where the borrower or a close family member will live in part of it, we refer it to an appropriately authorised firm. Our London overview covers the other boroughs, including neighbouring Hounslow.
Business districts across Hillingdon
Uxbridge
The borough's main commercial centre sits at the end of the Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines. Uxbridge Business Park brought corporate offices, including Cadbury House, and the town centre has a broad mix of retail, restaurants and professional firms. Owner-occupiers here range from accountants buying a floor of offices to retailers buying a shop.
Hayes and Harlington
Close to Heathrow and on the main line into Paddington, Hayes has offices, light industrial estates and warehouses used by airline suppliers and logistics firms. China Airlines once had its UK office at Hyde Park Hayes. Distribution companies buying their own shed or yard often start their search here.
West Drayton and Yiewsley
West Drayton has the Thistle London Heathrow and, at Stockley Close, the former British Midland training centre. Its station and proximity to the airport make it a base for catering, hospitality and aviation service businesses, which tend to buy practical units with parking and loading.
Harmondsworth and Heathrow
British Airways' Waterside headquarters is here, alongside an office used by American Airlines. Around it sit freight sheds, car parks and service buildings. A smaller company buying in this area usually wants a unit within minutes of the cargo areas, and lenders value that location for relettability.
Ruislip and South Ruislip
Ruislip is a Metro-land suburb with a busy high street, while South Ruislip sits by the A40 and RAF Northolt and once hosted British European Airways' headquarters. The mix suits shops and clinics in the centre and trade or light industrial premises nearer the main road.
Northwood and Eastcote
Both are residential, tube-served districts in the north of the borough. Their parades of shops and small offices suit dental practices, opticians, estate agents and cafes. Many have flats above, so semi-commercial lending is a common route for buyers here.
