London Heliport

London Heliport sits on the south bank of the Thames in Battersea, between Wandsworth Bridge and Battersea Railway Bridge. It occupies a narrow jetty that juts into the river, making it one of the smallest heliports in the world. The site opened in 1959 after being built by W. & C. French. It was once owned by Westland Aircraft and later by Harrods before passing to property firms. The heliport handles only a handful of aircraft at a time, with space for three or four small helicopters. All flights follow a figure-of-eight pattern 305 metres above the river to keep noise away from homes. The heliport plays a key role in London’s limited helicopter network. It provides landing, parking and refuelling for flights that run from early morning until late evening. In 2012 the Reuben Brothers bought the site for £35 million and later funded a major refurbishment under a new sponsor. A rescue and firefighting team is always on duty during movements, ready to respond to any incident. They train regularly with the London Fire Brigade and the RNLI to keep skills sharp. Visitors see a compact working heliport with a single helipad on the jetty. The apron has been repainted and the buildings restyled in recent years. The nearest stations are Clapham Junction and Fulham Broadway, both within walking distance. From the riverbank there are views across the water towards Chelsea and the city skyline. The site shows how a small piece of infrastructure keeps London’s air links alive.