Brentford TV to Brentford Today & TV: HOMES vs HERITAGE – COUNCIL DIVISION HIGHLIGHTED OVER BOROUGH'S CHANGING SKYLINE. Daylight levels in 75 of the habitable rooms – mostly living rooms – will fail to meet Building Research Establishment standards. The development will be on the former Citroen site behind Fountain Leisure Centre, Brentford. Hounslow Council refused planning permission in February 2018 because of its impact on Kew Gardens, Strand on the Green and other nearby areas.London Mayor Sadiq Khan called in the application and granted approval in July 2018. Then Mr Jenrick’s predecessor decided to take the final say.Following a local public inquiry held early this year, a planning inspector recommended that permission be given.A decision letter published yesterday (FRI) said Housing Secretary Mr Jenrick agreed with the inspector that the development would cause “less than substantial harm” to its protected surroundings such as Strand on the Green, Kew Gardens and Gunnersbury Park. It added: “Against this he weighs the provision of housing, including affordable housing, which he considers carry substantial weight in favour of the scheme.”He concluded that “the benefits of the scheme are collectively sufficient to outbalance the identified ‘less than substantial’ harm to heritage assets he has identified”.However, he noted than any “positive aspects of the design” were “negated” by the fact that daylight levels in 75 of the habitable rooms – mostly living rooms – will fail to meet Building Research Establishment standards. This scheme – on Capital Interchange Way – highlights disagreements in the Council. Cllr Curran is more strongly committed to redevelopment than some others, including some members of the Planning Committee (on which he does not sit). Overseeing regeneration, he is the driving force behind the soaring new flats changing the Borough's skyline – Ballymore, EcoWorld (around Brentford stadium), Barratt in Hounslow town centre, and elsewhere.A similar split amongst councillors is evident over the Tesco-Homebase proposals at Gillette Corner. After yesterday's decision Cllr Curran swiftly issued a statement which said in full: “I am delighted this scheme has now finally been approved. The provision of 441 new homes, 50 per cent of which are affordable, will go a long way to meeting our housing need and our ambitious housing pledge to secure 5,000 new homes by 2022."L&Q have a proven track record of providing good quality homes in Hounslow and London. I welcome the jobs that will be created during the construction, which will help our local economy due to result of Covid-19 and the collapse of the airline industry.”
Vanessa Smith ● 2239d