Rediscovered Document May Shift Brentford Dock Impasse

Archive file from 1991 appears to confirm public rights to riverfront

One of the gates restricting public access at Brentford Dock. Picture: Brentford Voice

October 27, 2025

A long-running dispute over public access to riverside paths at Brentford Dock has taken a potentially decisive turn, following the discovery of a key legal document by the London Borough of Hounslow. The document, dating from 1991, appears to confirm that the public retained rights to open space along the riverfront when the Council sold the freehold of the Dock to Brentford Dock Limited (BDL).

The revelation comes as Brentford Walks CIC awaits the outcome of its formal application to have the footpaths around the Brentford Dock Estate declared Public Rights of Way under Section 53 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The application, submitted on 7 November 2024, seeks to protect access to a network of paths that have been used by the public since the estate’s completion in 1978.

Public access to the estate’s riverside and internal pathways was curtailed around the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, when BDL and leaseholders decided to restrict entry. In response, a group of local residents formed Brentford Walks to challenge the closure and assert the public’s long-standing use of the space. Their application is supported by evidence from 60 individuals attesting to regular use of the paths over several decades.

The land in question was originally owned by the Greater London Council. When the Brentford Dock Estate was developed, Hounslow Council paid for 2.4 acres to be designated as public open space, including a riverside walk. This designation is recorded in the Title Plan and protected by the Superior Lease, which explicitly preserves public access to the area marked as Public Open Space.

Until recently, one of the key challenges facing Brentford Walks was the Council’s inability to locate critical contractual and planning documents. Many were eventually sourced independently by the group and submitted to the Council. The rediscovered 1991 agreement — supplemental to the freehold transfer — is seen as particularly significant, as it affirms public access rights to the riverside space.

Stephen Clark of Brentford Walks said the document “should settle a large part of our claim,” though he acknowledged that the application also seeks recognition of the wider footpath network, not just the riverside section. The Council is legally required to make a decision on the application by the end of 2025.

The rediscovery also raises questions about the Council’s handling of a recent Article 4 Judicial Review brought by BDL, which the Council conceded at public expense. Campaigners argue that the case may have been contested without full access to relevant documentation.

A spokesperson for the London Borough of Hounslow has not yet responded to requests for comment.