Uxbridge is a large suburban town in northwest London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. It is located 15 miles (24.1 km) west-northwest of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan.[1] It historically formed part of the parish of Hillingdon in the county of Middlesex and was a significant local commercial centre from an early time. As part of the suburban growth of London in the 20th century it expanded and increased in population, becoming a municipal borough in 1955 and has formed part of Greater London since 1965. Uxbridge is a significant retail and commercial centre, and is the location of Brunel University. The town is near to the boundary with Buckinghamshire, which is locally the River Colne.