Forum Topic

Views of the 25 storey tower from Chiswick

As some of the buildings at the Chiswick Business Park can already be seen from large parts of Acton Green we can probably take it as read that the newly approved Bollo Brook House will be an even more prominent feature of the skyline.What I'd like to know is if it will be visible from other parts of Chiswick e.g. Turnham Green, Strand on the Green?This tower is the one that TfL will be building first and I'm sure they are thinking that if planning rules become more lax they will revise their application for more possibly even higher towers. If they are going to become a permanent feature of our landscape it would be good to know.

Mark Evans ● 2104d27 Comments

I'm guessing but I don't think that it will be visible from anywhere on Chiswick High Road until you get towards Gunnersbury station. It will be visible across Acton Green but not from Bedford Park. If you were going to put a tall building anywhere in Chiswick, this is probably the site other than the inadequate road access.

Francis Rowe ● 2103d

Hopefully many more high rise buildings as we move into g to the 21st century. We need some progress!! Let’s try to keep up with other second world countries!

Steve Taylor ● 2103d

Folk living in local penthouses may lose part of their current stunning views of the London Skyline or elsewhere.It must be a worry for some!

Jim Lawes ● 2103d

Having a quick look on google maps,you wont see it unless you are on the A406 past B&Q. What is now there next door cant be seen from anywhere east of bollo lane. Obviously if your in surrounding roads you may see it but the buisness park is set above and its ground floor for most buildings is possibly 5-6 storey higher than ground level on Bollo Lane

Julian Pavey ● 2103d

Go live in East Croyden if you like that sort of crap.

Basil Finnis ● 2103d

Two monstrous towers now blot the long view down the Avenue and several Bedford Park roads - presumably in Wembley area. So not so sure we wont glimpse the TfL towers. Sadly the Spring/autumn sunsets on Acton Green were lost to the Chiswick Park block.

Jane Kirby ● 2103d

Agree, Jane.  I can see Chiswick Business Park blocks from Southfield Playing Fields, a long way away,  which is sad, so wouldn't be at all surprised if these new towers were visible from a long way around.  Feels like Chiswick is being slowly squeezed and crushed by high rise.  One of the reasons I moved here many years ago from North West London was the majority two storey houses, pretty streets, an open feel, villagey feel and lack of towers. This is changing fast, and coupled with the mad traffic from HTNs, is not the Chiswick that was a delight when I moved here.

Claire Moran ● 2103d

Those monstrous towers are by North Acton station. You can also see them when you turn onto Emlyn Road.Like water leaking, site lines have a way of finding you when you least expect it.

David Lesniak ● 2103d

Although the point made by Francis that this isn't the worst place that a tower could be placed in Chiswick, it does create a new precedent. They'll be dusting off the plans for the Chiswick Curve as we speak.

Jeremy Parkinson ● 2103d

I am sure TFL are happy to make money from developing the site but it is Ealing Council and our council taxes which are going to have to provide the additional services for say at minimum 852 x 2 extra people in the Acton area of the borough.  Schools/surgeries not to mention parking places in already over crowded streets and yes Ealing Council despite your well known anti-car views some people will always want cars! and there is no way that S106 will cover even 50% of these additional costs The disruption/noise/pollution during the construction of this massive site will continue I would expect for years .  Time to move out of Ealing?

jill morris ● 2103d

"And by clinging to the chimbleyYou could see across to WembleyIf it wasn't for the 'ouses in between"https://youtu.be/_XchS7hdddU

Richard Cathcart ● 2102d

I live in the Gunnersbury Park Conservation area (part of the Turnham Green Ward) and - as acknowledged by those at Ealing Council who gave this scheme the green light - our area will be catastrophically impacted by it. It means, that we are the people they are willing to sacrifice. I can already see people in their flats, on their balconies and on the roof from my bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. If I can see them, they can see me. We no longer have any hope of privacy. These new sky-scrapers will dwarf and overlook us, they will be nearer too. We want to move. A development of lower rise buildings would be ideal - including for the people who will end up living in these blocks. The whole thing stinks, it's a stitch up between Labour councillors at Ealing, the Labour Mayor and the unelected, undemocratic TfL.

Lisa Williams ● 2102d

Despite Covid, money is pouring into the "Wild West" London property market: this money will be stored in "safe-deposit boxes" in the sky. The full price flats will be attractive to Malaysians, Chinese and other Far East countries who have made so, so much money in the last 40 years even through massive financial ups and downs. And Saudi Arabia, USA and Switzerland. London looks "flat" to the inhabitants of Shanghai and they are not put off by 2% extra stamp duty. Flats in Shanghai of the same size cost 3 times as much! And they want to be close to the Thames (feng shui). We do not tax them properly. The UK should follow the example of France and impose much higher capital gains tax (e.g. 30%) on flats owned by citizens of other countries (except EU citizens). The Gov wants to sell prime land at the highest possible price. They are "relaxed" about the flats remaining empty. See Fulham Reach development here in Hammersmith.

Una-Jane Winfield ● 2102d

A government select committee report into the purchases of new flats showed that a foreign owned on was no more likely to be vacant than a domestically owned one.Given the very stringent restrictions on mortgage market it would be impossible for domestic buyers to take up the slack if attempts were made to exclude foreign buyers.

Francis Rowe ● 2102d

This development is about money and not community.  Apparently objectors were allowed 3 minutes to make their collective case against the plans. Is this really democracy?

Catherine Griffiths ● 2102d

https://www.onlondon.co.uk/caroline-russell-there-is-a-big-opportunity-to-change-transport-in-london-for-the-better-lets-not-waste-it/https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/transport-for-london-bailout-sadiq-khan-mayor-tories-labour-election-a9518251.html

Philippa Bond ● 2102d

Im sad to think that Ealing did a pretty good job of the replacements to the tower blocks to lower rise accommodation near this area, for now these new developments to put the area back to how it was before - let alone the inundation that will happen to the local schools in the area. Such a shame that we have to have high rise more than about 5 floors

Alison Quince ● 2096d

You are absolutely right,  Lisa. I emailed Guy Lambert about this. Why Guy? Because he is a very thoughtful and active Councillor for the LBH, and represents Brentford ward. LBH have a much stronger record for opposing high-rise developments than does LBE, notwithstanding that they are both Labour run Councils.

Roger Vipond ● 2095d

Spot on. You have articulated the underlying dynamic perfectly.  Thank you! Your post deserves the widest possible circulation.

Roger Vipond ● 2095d

You are absolutely right,  Lisa. I emailed Guy Lambert about this. Why Guy? Because he is a very thoughtful and active Councillor for the LBH, and represents Brentford ward. LBH have a much stronger record for opposing high-rise developments than does LBE, notwithstanding that they are both Labour run Councils.

Roger Vipond ● 2095d

Roger, I'd suggest you ask Guy about his involvement with that 9-storey car park built without planning permission before you trot out his record for opposing theses schemes.

David Lesniak ● 2095d

and have a look at The London Plan post by Ken Munn.Today in Parliament there will be more discussion on all the high rises with problems including flammable cladding. https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/labour-national-task-force-fund-cladding-removal-firetrap-homes-852097

Philippa Bond ● 2095d

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/feb/02/penthouses-poor-doors-nine-elms-battersea-london-luxury-housing-development good article here, which has echos of what we're seeing in Brentford ( just HOW dense do you you want those flats built  LboHounslow ?!)  and Acton ( just HOW high do you want those blocks built LB of Ealing)totally depressing,predictable and  more evidence of the seemingly endless , money- driven rush to turn all of London into a cross between Singapore and Monte Carlo, to the exclusion of everyone else but the uber rich and those who serve them...

Tim Garfoot ● 2094d

Was there a reason it was for so many sepereate blocks, possibly land space I expect, quite like the ground level look of the build and think a longer block would also be safer than the taller ones.  Big problem is we need homes which would outweigh any issues on views from anywhere.

Janice Evans ● 2094d

We also need green space as has been shown during lockdown.  What happened to the importance of amenity space in and around buildings?

Philippa Bond ● 2094d

Agree that's important in London but it's not taking away any green spacealso if it wasn't for the height of the buildings would this have even been mention.  Don't like them because of the safety issues, also my Aunt live in a block on Bollo and it's depressing looking out from one block on to another and also the other outlook was the railway tracks It was very nice inside though.

Janice Evans ● 2094d

Well said Tim. And the highest block on Chiswick's doorstep to gain from Chiswick while giving nothing back.

Basil Finnis ● 2094d