Farnborough is situated in the northeast of
Hampshire and near to the boundary with Surrey. The River Blackwater
forms part of the boundary. It is located 53 km (33 miles) southwest of
London.
Farnborough includes several small villages, including Cove and
Southwood. Based in the town is the council of the local government
district of Rushmoor. The district has borough status and also covers
nearby Aldershot.
The Farnborough air show takes place at
Farnborough Airfield, situated between Farnborough and Fleet and the
site of the historic Royal Aircraft Establishment. Closely associated
with Farnborough Airfield is Samuel Cody. Cody, or Col Sam Cody as he
was known, was one of the early pioneers of aviation. A monument to the
first jet fighter is sited on a roundabout along Ively Road. The replica
Gloster E28/39 (based on the prototype) was erected as a tribute to its
inventor, Sir Frank Whittle. Farnborough Airfield was turned into a
business airport operated by TAG Aviation.
Adjacent to the airport there is a major
development of the new Farnborough Business Park, which aims to have
around 1.67 million sq ft of new office space. There are plans to make
this area not only a major business centre, but also a new centrepiece
for Farnborough. When completed it will include new housing, a De Vere
run Village Hotel, symbolic office buildings, a Barons BMW and Mini
dealership, a new aviation library and the refurbishing of the listed
wind tunnels on the site. Current tenants include: Agusta Westland,
Imagine Homes, Red Hat, Autodesk and Defence Strategy & Solutions.
Farnborough has one main shopping centre
divided into three areas; Kingsmead and Queensmead (which are currently
undergoing redevelopment) and Princesmead. There is a smaller shopping
centre in North Camp, Farnborough's former central business district, as
well as an array of large shops at the Farnborough Gate development on
the road north to Camberley.