| Biggin Hill | |
Polesteeple Hill, Biggin Hill |
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Biggin Hill
Biggin Hill shown within Greater London |
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| Population | 9,888 (Biggin Hill ward 2007)[1] |
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| OS grid reference | TQ418590 |
| - Charing Cross | 15.2 mi (24.5 km) NNW |
| London borough | Bromley |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | London |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | WESTERHAM |
| Postcode district | TN16 |
| Dialling code | 01959 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament | Orpington |
| London Assembly | Bexley and Bromley |
| List of places: UK • England • London | |
Biggin Hill is an area and electoral ward in the outskirts of the London Borough of Bromley in southeast London, United Kingdom.
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Historically the settlement was known as Aperfield and formed part of the parish of Cudham. It took the name Biggin Hill after the Second World War in recognition of the historic role played by the adjoining Biggin Hill Aerodrome.
Biggin Hill was an ancient parish county of Kent, in the Diocese of Rochester, and under the Local Government Act 1894 formed part of Bromley Urban District. The urban district gained further status in 1935 as a municipal borough. Kent County Council formed the second tier of local government during that time. In 1965, London County Council was abolished and replaced by Greater London Council, with an expanded administrative area that took in the metropolitan parts of the Home Counties. Now part of the London Borough of Bromley.
The most architecturally noteworthy building within Biggin Hill is St Mark's Church, Church Road - 'the moving church'.[2] - designed by Richard Gilbert Scott. It was erected in the 1950s using the dismantled materials from All Saints Church, North Peckham. Much of the work was undertaken by volunteers led by Rev Vivian Symons who undertook much of the decorative work himself.
Biggin Hill also has an airport, London Biggin Hill Airport, which uses much of the land formerly used by RAF Biggin Hill Aerodrome. The latter hosted the "Operations Room" for the Operation Crossbow V-1 flying bomb defence during World War II.
The old "west camp" of the airport is now owned by Bernie Ecclestone. Most of the buildings in the West Camp are Grade II listed. [3][4] A small section remains in the care of the RAF, and the Grade II listed chapel [5] (guarded by replicas of the base gate guardians, a Hawker Hurricane and a Supermarine Spitfire) is open to the public.
The old "south camp" is now occupied by the Biggin Hill Business Park, Airport Industrial Estate and various private flying clubs. There are further commercial premises, hangars, private flying clubs and a helicopter joy-ride and pilot training centre to the east of the main runway.
The term "airport", rather than airfield, is used to describe the present-day facility because it has a terminal building and customs facilities. It is host to a wide range of private/business jet and turbo-prop aircraft up to the size of a Boeing 737. The main airport apron has recently been enlarged; the one remaining hangar on the old south camp has been totally re-clad and a planning application has been posted for further hangars on the eastern side.
A model aircraft site operates within its Air Traffic Zone, operating large model aircraft. In 2009 there were sightings of model aircraft traffic and one air proximity report was filed, according to the Airport Consultative Committee in May 2010.[6]
Biggin Hill is the location of a VOR navigational beacon, codenamed "BIG", which anchors the South East Arrival Stack for London Heathrow Airport.
The airport was the venue of the Biggin Hill International Air Fair, an annual airshow that usually took place towards the end of June. The event was first held in 1963 and the airshow was permanently cancelled in 2010, shortly after the 48th event.
Charles Darwin School is the only secondary school in the immediate area.
There are two main primary schools; Oaklands Primary School and Biggin Hill Primary School. On the outskirts of Biggin Hill, there is also Cudham CoE Primary School which is situated near Foal Farm, Tatsfield Primary and Downe Primary in the Downe village.
| New Addington | Leaves Green | Downe | ||
| Biggin Hill Valley | Berry's Green & Cudham | |||
| Biggin Hill | ||||
| Tatsfield | Tatsfield East | Aperfield |
Biggin Hill is on the outskirts of the London Borough of Bromley. The A233 road is the only main road that runs through the area, from North to South. Most places surrounded by Biggin Hill are small towns and villages. Biggin Hill's postcode is TN16 and its post town is WESTERHAM. Although Westerham itself is located outside Greater London.
Biggin Hill is served by regular transport links to Bromley, Catford, Orpington, Westerham and Tatsfield.
The area does not have any railway station in its own location. The following stations are the closest:
The area is served by five London Buses, along with another bus not operated by Transport for London:
The area is not served by Croydon Tramlink services but the New Addington terminus of Tramlink Route 3, is 3.5 miles (5.6 km) away, and linked by bus 464. Recently, Croydon Tramlink has been talking about an extension of Route 3 to Biggin Hill but there are no definite plans.
Biggin Hill is a place that is believed to be the home of many ghosts. This is commonly attributed to the fact that it is the home of a World War II airbase.[7]
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