Deadline Looms For Comments On Market Place Development

Local residents' group say they have 'great concerns' about proposal

CGI from architect showing how building might look

Any comments on a plan to build flats on the site of the former Scout Hut in The Butts must be sent by this Monday (6 July).

The four new housing units would be situated on the site of the former scout hut next to the Boatman’s Institute. It is the only vacant site in the historic Market Place square.

Local residents’ group Brentford Voice say, “We fully accept the principle of development on this site but we have great concerns regarding the current proposals.

“We feel that this scheme attempts to cram too much development into a very sensitive site and that this will harm the setting of our local conservation areas and buildings. The design of the scheme fails to reflect the character and scale of the area.

“We would encourage you to send your comments on this proposal to LB Hounslow.”

The site as it was over 100 years ago. Picture: Local Studies Centre

The most convenient way to do make your views known is through an email to planning.objections@hounslow.gov.uk quoting planning reference: P/2020/1774.

You may also wish to send comments to the three local councillors:
steve.curran@hounslow.gov.uk
theo.dennison@hounslow.gov.uk
katherine.dunne@hounslow.gov.uk

And to the Chair of the Planning Committee: amrit.mann@hounslow.gov.uk

The plans drawn up by Juice Architects on behalf of P Goddard and Sons Ltd are for a two storey building which would mix modern design with the use of materials to echo existing buildings in the area which date back as far as the seventeenth century.

CGI of the planned building

The site sits between the River Brent in the west and the square. Approval had been given to build two semi-detached houses at the site but this lapsed in 2013 and it has remained vacant ever since.

A pre-application meeting took place in 2018 with the Planning and Conservation Officers and it was confirmed by the officers that a residential development would be acceptable in principle. The presented site layout at that meeting however has been updated to take into consideration the Planning and Conservation Officer’s comments. The refinements to the design included narrowing the footprint of the proposed building to increase the space between the Boatmen’s Institute to maintain the view from Butts square to the river.

How flats might look from across Market Place

Hounslow Council are proceeding with the processing of planning applications during the coronavirus lockdown despite concerns being expressed by some residents’ groups that proper consultation will be impossible. The council continue to place the statutory notice for planning applications in the Chronicle and Informer alone even though it is not generally circulating in the areas affected and the government has advised local authorities to use other media when there is a deficiency in existing arrangements. Some local heritage groups this could provide part of the grounds for a judicial review should the council approve schemes during this period.

July 3, 2020