Forum Topic

Council Vision for High Road

Oh, the cycle lane has gone and the pavement has got wider to allow street traders Strange artist impression to use for the future vision or is someone having a laugh



 

Julian Pavey ● 1725d16 Comments

Well-spotted! Extra trees as well!Having gone through the report, which is expensively produced and full of platitudes, it is notable how it aims to steer clear of mentioning the Cycleway. The survey on which it was supposed to be based showed clear opposition so this makes sense and it would be a distraction to what the exercise is supposed to be about.The article in the newsletter saves you the trouble of looking at the report as it correctly identifies that the only bit of solid new information is the confirmation that the Post Office is going. Clearly discussions are already in place with the council who are expecting some kind of planning gain. Hopefully 'community use' is some kind of facility available at low cost or free to the public rather than an overpriced nursery.

Francis Rowe ● 1725d

One wonders how much the consultants were paid to produce this.

Stewart Jones ● 1725d

No sign of Noddy or Big Ears either, obviously Mr Plod is absent because the police station is closed and soon Postman Pat will be homeless when the Post Office goes.

Michael David Rowe ● 1725d

Bob the Builder is stuck in traffic. Extra £130 on the bill for his PCN too.

Russell Pearson ● 1725d

Which report is this please?

Melanie Buchan ● 1725d

Oh dear, oh dear. The artist was obviously commissioned to demonstrate Nirvana!  No cyclists or e-scooters on the pavement?

Steve Taylor ● 1724d

Melanie the report is here:-https://democraticservices.hounslow.gov.uk/documents/s172372/CEX588%20Reimagining%20our%20town%20centres%20-%20Appendix%201%20Town%20Centre%20Vision%20Documents.pdf

Michael David Rowe ● 1724d

As a resident of Ealing, I find the High Street in Chiswick to be more of a destination compared to the one we have ended up with. Two modern developments have robbed Ealing of any charm and the new flats/shops build by Christchurch hasn't added anything other than overseas buyers of the flats over empty shops. No doubt our deeply unloved council pocketed a few bob from the developers who seem to be all over Ealing like a cheap suit. Keep them out all all cost I'd say.

peter king ● 1724d

Sadly Peter, our council will soon finish knocking up Chiswick into an expensive Hounslow. Pointing this out to the barbarians in Hounslow Council obviously makes you out to be against progress.

Basil Finnis ● 1724d

The idea that LBH cares for Chiswick Town Centre is hilarious.  Their only interest is ensuring it keeps delivering lots of money to LBH coffers.TBH the report is about what you would expect from a council, long on words and short on ideas.  It is noticeable that they have a page on what young people think about the town centre, but not a page on what the elderly think.IMO CHR is dying, it is not as bad as I remember it in the early 1990s recession but it is getting there.  Some of that is Covid related, some of it is due to the changes in UK shopping habits.  There are too many charity shops which mask the true vacancy rates - quality restaurants have been replaced with cheaper fast food joints.

Justin Stephenson ● 1724d

Justin You make excellent points especially regarding the number of charity shops, something like 7 I believe. Also dont forget there's a few who are occupying on short term licences.

Loraine Pemberton ● 1724d

And a lot of it is down to the cycleway, bus stop relocation etc.  I am not particularly elderly and don't have serious mobility issues but even if it were not for Covid, I would not want to spend time anywhere near the High Road now.  Pollution when I went a couple of months ago to pick up some spectacles was horrendous, and trying to cross the road over the cycleway a complete nightmare.  I will probably only go into Chiswick once or twice a year now, there are other places that are more pleasant to be a pedestrian in.

Claire Moran ● 1723d

Indeed. Every time I have been to CHR in the last two years it has been a nightmare. Not a pleasant experience.  Avoid like the plague!!!

Steve Taylor ● 1723d

That isn't really fair on Chiswick High Road which remains one of the most pleasant places to shop in west London even allowing for recent changes.It also seems to be on the up with lots of new shops opening up. Ironically this may be partly down to Covid - things are obviously really tough for retailers but the built-in expectation of landlords for rising rents and capital values has gone which means they have become much more flexible with new leases. I understand some businesses have opened up on the basis of minimal initial rent and no penalties if the lease is terminated early to allow them to test the market and see if their proposition is viable.Without this the number of vacant units would be even higher and it has led to the opening of a number of interesting businesses over the last year. Hopefully they will survive but that will be less likely if people are urging others to avoid the area.

Jeremy Parkinson ● 1722d

“ That isn't really fair on Chiswick High Road which remains one of the most pleasant places to shop in west London even allowing for recent changes.”It’s fair for me to say it because every time I have been on the High Road, since the disastrous cycle track opened, it has been a nightmare. Quite stressful actually.

Steve Taylor ● 1722d

Not sure it is right to claim that the Cycleway has made CHR more stressful except perhaps for the elderly and disabled. It is an A road and has always been congested. Perhaps it has got a bit more so since the changes but not to a degree that it has fundamentally changed its nature. On the north side at least, you have wide pavements on a tree lined street with a range of interesting shops. I'm sorry you find it stressful but I can't think of a commercial district in a west London town that I find less so.

Jeremy Parkinson ● 1722d