Revised Plan for Ham Wharf Redevelopment
Latest proposals is for a less tall building with all social housing
A visualisation of the project viewed along Augustus Close. Picture: Todd
December 19, 2025
Developers have submitted a new application for the Fraser’s Timber Merchants site at Ham Wharf, Brentford, significantly revising the scheme that was narrowly approved by Hounslow Council last year.
The updated proposal reduces the height and scale of the development, replacing the previously approved two-block scheme of six and ten storeys with a single six-storey C-shaped building. The revised design also shifts the tenure mix to 100% social rented housing, with the total number of homes reduced from 60 to 56.
The new application adopts a more explicit wharf-style architectural character, referencing Brentford’s industrial and canal-side heritage. The design team argue that the reduced height enhances the character of the Grand Union Canal and Boston Manor Conservation Area, while avoiding adverse impacts on nearby heritage assets such as Kew Gardens and Syon Park.
The earlier application (P/2023/3014) was approved in July 2024 by a single vote after a fractious planning committee meeting. That scheme proposed two blocks of six and ten storeys, delivering 60 affordable flats split between social rent and intermediate tenure.
Councillors opposed to the plan argued the height and massing were inconsistent with the borough’s Local Plan, while officers recommended approval on the grounds of housing need. Rhys Williams was the strongest advocate for the scheme on the planning committee but he has since stepped down as a councillor.
A visualisation of the new proposal viewed from across the River Brent with outline of previous scheme in red. Picture: Todd
The Fraser’s Timber site, measuring 1,622 sqm, currently houses a two-to-three-storey warehouse and service yard. It is bounded by the River Brent and Grand Union Canal to the south and east, The Ham to the north, and residential properties to the west. Houseboats are moored along the river directly in front of the site.
A visualisation of earlier proposal viewed along Augustus Close. Picture: AVR London
The revised application will now be considered by Hounslow Council, with developers emphasising that the scheme delivers 100% social rented homes while responding to concerns about height, heritage, and design quality.
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