It is a quarter of a century since a switch was flipped in Isleworth to start Sky television broadcasting to the world.
In honour of the 25th birthday of one of the borough’s biggest employers, Hounslow Council has paid tribute to its longevity.
Councillor Steve Curran , cabinet member for housing, planning and regeneration, said: “I would like to wish Sky happy birthday. They have been a valuable employer and investor in Hounslow over the last 25 years. Their presence is evidence of Hounslow’s pulling power as a premier place in London for multi-nationals to base their business.”
The date was February 5 1989 when boss Rupert Murdoch stood on a building site just off the Great West Road and launched four new channels on the public.A year later Sky merged with rival satellite company British Satellite Broadcasting to form the company still known as BSkyB - and it’s headquarters are still where they have always been.
The sprawling site, which includes New Horizons Court and Centaurs Business Park, is currently thought to employ around 5,000 people.It recently received final approval to its detailed expansion plans, which will see a new 40,250 sqm building constructed containing offices, studios, as well as production and research and development facilities.
Following on from its construction of a wind turbine in May 2012 which produces around 133 MWh/year of clean energy to the £233 million Sky Studios complex which opened in July 2011, there will also be a new energy centre.
This Cooling, Heating and Power (CCHP) plant – the first large-scale facility of its type in the UK – is expected to meet Sky’s target for all its sites to derive at least 20 per cent of their energy needs from on-site renewable sources by 2020.
The Chronicle approached BSkyB for a comment on both its 25th birthday and its expansion plans but were told it did not wish to provide one for either.
