September 2024
Following the conclusion of the Public Inquiry in September 2022, the planning inspector recommended refusal of the applications due largely to the negative impact on local heritage assets and the lack of adherence to both the emerging Local Plan and the London Plan.
However, in December 2023, the Secretary of State finally overruled the planning inspector’s decision and approved the applications (see here).
In July 2024, the applicant St Edwards (a joint venture between Berkeley Group and M&G Investments) consulted on minor changes to the schemes to incorporate the requirement for second staircases to tall buildings in the wake of the Grenfell disaster. It is likely that work on the demolition of the existing Homebase store will commence later this year or in early 2025′.
Update 15 March 2022
Redevelopment of the Homebase and Tesco Sites at Gillette Corner (Hounslow): This application is for a massive development, 16 tower blocks, over 2,000 flats. Part will be visible from Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, intruding on the view towards Syon House, hence our concern. Hounslow Council approved the development, Mayor Sadiq Khan declined to call it in but the Secretary of State (Rt Hon Michael Gove) has called it in and the public inquiry by his appointed Inspector starts on 15 March. It is scheduled to end on 25-27 April. Our Planning Trustees, John Ricketts and Alice Shackleton, are attending the first day of the inquiry. The remainder of the inquiry will be held virtually. We will report in due course.
Update 14 October 2021
Following the recent appointment of Michael Gove as Secretary of State, replacing Robert Jenrick, we sent a letter to Mr Gove requesting that he call in these applications for his determination. The applications were approved by Hounslow Council in April 2021 and the Mayor of London decided in September 2021 not to call them in. See a copy of our letter here.
Update 11 April 2021
In January 2021, the applicant provided additional information, including three new views from Kew Gardens and the southern towpath, as requested by the Royal Botanic Gardens and The Kew Society. The applicant’s conclusion – as before – was that the proposed tower blocks would have no material impact on these views.
We disagreed with this assessment and on 25 February we submitted a second objection letter (See below) and a number of photographs, demonstrating that the proposed new tower blocks would be clearly visible from several views looking westwards from Kew Gardens and its Buffer Zone (the towpath). We believe this would represent a substantial level of harm to these views, in contravention of various planning regulations.
On 8 April, Hounslow Council’s Planning Committee approved the two applications at their planning meeting – the Homebase application was approved 9-4 and the Tesco application 10-3. The objectors and the applicant were each given a total of 20 minutes to present their case to the Committee – the objectors were asked to speak first. Six objectors spoke, including OGWRA (Osterley and Wyke Green Residents’ Association), Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, The Gardens Trust, Tony Firkins (Green Party), Paul Velluet (architect) and a local resident. This was followed by a presentation by the Council’s planning officers, who had recommended approval of both applications. In making their decision, those planning committee members who approved the applications broadly acknowledged the harmful impact the tall buildings would have on the setting of surrounding heritage assets, but concluded that this harm, which they considered less than substantial, was outweighed by the public benefits of the additional housing provided.
The next stage is that the applications, together with Hounslow Council’s decision to approve them, will automatically go to the Mayor because of the size of the developments. The Mayor then has three options – to approve the Council’s decision and tell them to go ahead; to refuse the applications; or to call in the applications and appoint himself as the planning authority for the developments. We believe the first or third are the most likely options. The latter option would allow the Mayor to negotiate with the developers to increase the number of residential units (already enormous) yet further.
Read our 25 February letter here TKS Letter Feb 2021
18 November 2020
The Kew Society has, along with other local amenity groups, the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and Historic England, submitted objections and concerns to the London Borough of Hounslow in connection with these proposed developments, which sit either side of the A4 at Gillette Corner. Both schemes involve tower blocks of up to 17 storeys. As well as overwhelming the predominantly two-storey character of the surrounding residential area, the overbearing scale of the tower blocks will have a seriously adverse effect on important historic vistas from Syon Park and Kew Gardens. We are particularly concerned as these western vistas from within the Gardens across the river towards and over Syon Park and House are relatively unspoilt and it is crucial that they remain so. This contrasts with the vistas northwards from the Gardens which are being adversely affected to an increasing degree as the numerous tower blocks go up across the river around and east of the new Brentford Community Stadium and Kew Bridge Station.
Read our objection letter here TKS Letter Homebase-Tesco, Gillette Corner