Trimmer Hall Roof Removed Without Permission

Enforcement Officer calls a halt to any further work on the site

Trimmer Hall on Monday

Trimmer Hall on Sunday from @BrentfordPast

Council planners have confirmed that the roof of Trimmer hall in Brentford has been removed without permission.

Residents spotted the roof tiles being removed over the weekend and the supporting beams being taken down earlier this week and reported the activity to their local councillors.

Planning permission has been granted to IDM West London Ltd to convert the building into a single residential unit and the demolition of a non-original rear extension (as well as separate works to the Church).

An Enforcement Officer visited the site this Monday (23 May) and concluded that the roof has been removed without permission. Planning officers from Hounslow Council have asked the developer to cease any further works on the building and to cover the roof with a tarpaulin to protect the building.

There are some loose timbers on top of the roof, which, in the interests of public safety, planners have agreed that they can re-locate to ground level where they are storing all the salvaged bricks and timber. The developer has been asked to retain all the bricks, timber and tiles on site. A request has been made that a new planning application is submitted immediately for all the structural work that they are intending to do to the building so that this can be fully assessed against the relevant planning policies.

The other application for the site to convert the building into three residential units is currently invalid. All neighbouring residents and those who previously objected will be notified of the new application once it is validated.

This is despite the last planning application being refused on 29 February. This was to create three dwellings out of the existing hall.

This Grade II listed building commonly known as Sarah Trimmer Hall after the founder Sarah Trimmer was a pioneer in education, founding Sunday schools in Brentford in 1786 and Schools of Industry in 1787. See brief history. Sarah Trimmer Hall is possibly the only surviving purpose-built Georgian School of Industry in the UK.

Roof tiles apparently carefully stacked

Prior planning application was made for St George's Church next door and Sarah Trimmer Hall in 2014 which was approved in April 2015. This however only seems to permit the demolition of the kitchen extension to Sarah Trimmer hall.

May 24, 2016