Brentford FC Reduce Size of Stadium Development

Planning application for 910 flats has smaller tower blocks than original scheme

Brentford Football Club have submitted their planning application for their stadium development this Friday (31st May).

The scheme is now smaller than the plans originally shown to the public with most of the tower blocks in the 'enabling' development being reduced in size by two or three storeys and the number of flats down from 980 to 910. The tallest tower will now be 16 storeys or 61 metres high. The stadium itself remains with a capacity of 20,000 seats.

Chairman of Brentford Football Club Greg Dyke said, "“We have listened to the comments from local residents, Bees supporters and a wide range of organisations and come up with a scheme that will have many benefits.

“The proposals in this planning application will be good for the Club, good for community sport and education and good for Brentford, the Borough of Hounslow and west London.”

Details of the scheme were available for inspection at the Fountain Leisure Centre on Friday and Saturday of this week.

The architects for the scheme say that, with the reduced size of the apartment blocks, no building in the scheme will be higher than the Vantage West Office block to the north or the Steam Museum tower to the south.

Model of scheme with heights of buildings

The flats will be mainly one or two bedroom and, as the stadium is considered a community benefit, there is unlikely to be any social housing component and it is not expected that any significant S106 payments will be required to be made. It is argued that as the units are not likely to be bought by families there will be little need for any extra school provision or medical facilities.

The scheme architects say that they have carefully considered the feedback from residents which showed concern about the impact on views around the area and their revisions are designed to reduce this as much as possible.

View from Strand on the Green based on new design

View from Strand on the Green based on original design

Revised view from Wellesley Road

Original view from Wellesley Road

It is claimed that the scheme not have a significantly negative impact on traffic in the area as there are currently 170 HGV movements a day associated with the waste facilities on Lionel Road. No specific improvements in local transport facilities are envisaged at this stage although the scheme's planners would like to reopen a tunnel from Lionel Road to Kew Bridge station to allow access to the site without crossing the road.

It is expected that a decision on the plan will be made by Hounslow Council this October and that Brentford will play there first competitive home at the stadium in September 2016.

There are no details available yet about the possibility of rugby at the ground but sources close to the club say that they are in discussion with two rugby union clubs about the possibility of a ground share.

June 1, 2013