Public Inquiry Set To Begin on Citroen Site Development

Mayor overruled Council to give five tower blocks with over 400 flats go ahead

A plan to develop five tower blocks on the site of the Citroen car dealership at Capital Interchange Way in Brentford is due to go before a public inquiry this Tuesday (14 January).

The scheme which would see 441 new flats developed in buildings as high as 18 storeys was initially rejected by Hounslow Council planners in February 2018 who were concerned about the impact on heritage assets such as Strand on the Green, Gunnersbury Park and Kew Gardens. They also cited the significant proportion of one and two bedroom units in the plans.

This decision was overruled by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan after the developer L&Q agreed to increase the proportion of affordable units and the number that were suitable for families.

The Mayor said when making this decision, “This scheme shows how we can unlock the potential of an underused site to build more of the genuinely affordable homes Londoners so urgently need. I’m clear that to fix the capital’s housing crisis Government must play its part, but we can make a difference now by ensuring developments include more genuinely affordable housing.

“I have carefully considered the impacts of these plans – particularly the effect on historic buildings in nearby Kew Gardens – and have concluded that the benefit of delivering more than 400 homes, including 218 genuinely affordable homes, justifies granting permission.”

Last year the then housing minister, James Brokenshire ‘called in’ the scheme which meant that the current inquiry needed to be held. It is expected to last around 12 days. The West Chiswick & Gunnersbury Society (WCGS) have previously indicated that they intend to participate as a "third party"

Planning inspector David Nicholson will run the inquiry which will make a recommendation to Robert Jenrik who is the current Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Last year Hounslow Council gave permission for a development of 420 units by Redrow and Catalyst on an adjacent site. This plan is for three tower blocks with a maximum height of sixteen storeys on the site which is currently a scaffolders’ yard opposite the Citroen garage. The eastern side of this site fronts onto Capital Interchange Way and fills almost the entire northern edge of this section of the road. To the west of the site is a train line that is currently used by freight trains only. To the south of the site lies the proposed new access to the Brentford Stadium development.

Although the scheme is lower in height than a previous plan which would have seen buildings of up to 22 storeys high the development would still be visible from some local beauty spots. The views from parts of Gunnersbury Park cemetery could be marred by the buildings and the development would also tower over the historic buildings of Strand on the Green in Chiswick when viewed from the Surrey bank of the Thames.

January 14, 2020