West London:
With 1.5 million residents and over 60,000 businesses, West London is responsible for around 8 per cent of all employment in the Southeast and a major contributor to the prosperity of the capital. Manufacturing, telecommunications, media, high tech industries, and tradable services number among the most prominent activities in the area, which is home to a number international headquarters.

Location is key to West London's notable success. The convenience of Heathrow airport and its frequent connections to Central London is a major influence for incoming investors. This simple fact will frequently put West London at the top of the list of all UK regions to be considered. The locals have somewhat of a 'love-hate' relationship with the airport. Plans for expansion routinely meet with resistance from residents under its flight path and raise concern over safety issues, but the benefits brought to the local economy by the busiest airport in the world are undeniable.

Following touchdown, access to Central London and the rest of the UK is enhanced by a comprehensive road and rail network. In West London, a motorway junction is never more than ten minutes away and the area as a whole is well served by bus, rail and underground services. Evidence of this influence can be found along the corridor between Heathrow and Hammersmith. Since the 1930's, the old Great West Road (A4) and M4 motorway, has been a premier location for corporate headquarters.

The region is also home to a variety of business parks growing around the many transport links between Heathrow and Central London. Competition between the parks to attract investors has, in many cases, led to the developments providing more than accommodation and maintenance contracts. Recognising that the right working environment will help tenants to attract and retain the right people, developers provide a range of value added services.

Thanks to its large selection of high profile national and international tenants, Stockley Park is among the best known. The 400 acre landscaped site is within 10 minutes of Heathrow offering direct access to the M25 orbital motorway. Tenants include BT, Mark & Spencer, Cisco and Motorola. In addition to business accommodation and facilities of the highest standard, Stockley Park offers a variety of leisurely diversions. Chiswick Park is another major development whose management team offer instant access to preferred suppliers for a variety of basic creature comforts for tenants' employees as well as arranging staff entertainment.

Around two-thirds of West London's workers also live in the area, where ethnic minorities account for over one-quarter of the total resident population. This gives rise to an area of considerable cultural diversity and an internationally minded workforce.

West London is a hub of IT activity, which includes the industry's top 10 international companies in the field making the largest industry concentration in the UK. The area's manufacturing sector is broad and diverse and accounts for around 9 per cent of employment whilst producer/consumer services account for around 40 per cent. West London generates almost one in five of London's jobs and 8 per cent of all employment in the Southeast.