Council adds The Orchard to list protecting local heritage sites
Friday 11 April 2025: Hillingdon Council has included The Orchard pub in Ruislip in the borough's local list of buildings of architectural and historical importance following its nomination by residents.
The local list is a collection of buildings which are of good quality design or possess historical and cultural significance to the borough. Inclusion ensures these factors are considered when the council assesses any planning applications.
The Orchard was originally constructed in 1905 as a bungalow and provided refreshments to visitors from central London who had travelled to the countryside via the Metropolitan line. Its popularity saw a second storey added and a pavilion which could accommodate up to 500 guests. The building is an early example of 20th-century Metroland architecture.
During the Second World War, the Polish Air Force fighter squadrons, airmen and support staff from RAF Northolt treated The Orchard as a second home and it is mentioned in many memoirs, which led to a war memorial being erected on the site.
Cllr Steve Tuckwell, Hillingdon Council's Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing and Growth, said: "Our borough has a rich and unique heritage, and the council's aim is to ensure its preserved and enhanced.
"While we support growth and new developments, it must be in the right places and not at the sacrifice of our distinct heritage and green spaces.
"Alongside updating our Local Plan, the list is a great way to protect and celebrate buildings that make the borough special."
The council's Cabinet also agreed to defer the decision on whether to add the North Hayes Telephone Exchange to the local list while it obtains further clarity about the site.
To view all the buildings on the local list and find out how to nominate a building, visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk/locally-listed-buildings.
