74 'affordable' flats to be made available to residents of Ealing Borough

Proposed development site at 100 Bollo Lane. Picture: Google Street View

A property developer has held a meeting in Chiswick about their plans to build a 13 storey tower block on Bollo Lane. The building, which will be taller than any structure in nearby Chiswick Business Park, will be a mixed one containing flats and office space.

A company called Pocket which is 50% owned by the owner of the Miami Dolphins American football team wants to build on the site at 100 Bollo Lane which is currently occupied by G&R Removals. No planning application appears to have been submitted yet and the company did not respond to our request to supply any available CGI of the building but the plan is for 105 flats with office space on the lower floors. Ninety of the flats will be ‘affordable’ reserved for people currently living in the London Borough of Ealing and earning less than £90,000 per annum. Pocket specialises in building smaller units for middle income earners.

A meeting was held on Thursday night (21 April) at the Mission Hall in Cunnington Street as part of the company’s effort at community engagement. The media were not informed of the meeting and it is not clear at this stage whether local councillors or residents’ associations were advised it was taking place.

Meeting about the plans described by developer as 'well-attended' Picture: Pocket Living

When asked about the plans a spokesperson for Pocket said, “We have identified a site (100 Bollo Lane) where we propose to build 74 affordable, one bedroom and car-free flats for people who live or work in Ealing. We are also proposing to provide 31 two and three bedroom flats to help solve the local housing crisis and to replace the existing employment space with 20,000 sq ft of office space. “

They claim to have posted 350 fliers to people in the area and described their consultation event as ‘very well attended’ with ‘many people welcoming the provision of affordable housing.’

The flats would have a maximum occupancy of 193 according to Pocket but only 19 parking spaces will be provided. Reportedly the flats would not qualify for residents’ permits for nearby controlled parking zone.

Some local residents have expressed concern that approval would create a precedent in which the industrial estate between Bollo Lane and the Stirling Road rubbish dump could see a significant number of tall buildings being developed with commercial space on the lower floors to get around zoning issues. There is also concern about the impact on the already strained parking space in the area.

April 24, 2016