Nearly 400 Objections To 22-Storey Tower Near South Acton Station

Deadline looming for comments on plan for 210 flats on industrial estate car park

22 storey building on Stanley Road

Objections continue to flow in fast to the proposal for a South Acton Tower block between Greenock Road and Stanley Road. There were 366 public comments as of 6 February, on Ealing Council's website, plus one individual objection, listed among the documents. The deadline for objections is this week.

Many objections focus on the height of the 22 storey proposed building in contrast to surrounding buildings, and the loss of light that will result in the area. There are also a significant number of objections raising the impact on the South Acton allotment site; the wind tunnel that will be created at the end of Stanley Road; the visual impact of the building in the surrounding area: the over-development implied by the number of flats in the building; and the inadequate social and transport infrastructure of the area, which objectors say will be placed under further pressure.

Several objections list a number of planning policies published by the Mayor of London and Ealing Council that are contravened by the development plan.

The three local councillors that represent the South Acton Ward (Josh Blacker, Yvonne Johnson and Mik Sabiers) intend to submit a joint letter to the Council before the 12 February deadline, opposing the development.

Just four people have registered support for the development; one of them has used a false address (shown as Flat 28 in a building that contains only 27 flats).

The final day for public comments is 12 February. Only three weeks were allowed for public consultation on the planning application, whereas the developer has been consulting Ealing Council and the Greater London Authority since November 2018.

A group of local residents have put together a website which also includes advice on how to object to the proposed scheme.

Henley Investments is seeking planning permission for the project, amidst local concern about the scale of the development. Local allotment owners say the blocking of light from such a tall building would be 'devastating' for them.

Tower block causing serious loss of sunlight to neighbours including allotments - image from residents

Other objections are that the area is zoned for industrial units and there will be no residential infrastructure, such as parking, to support it.

The proposal involves building a second block 10 storeys high next to the footpath that links the two roads. The site is on a car park on the South Acton industrial estate next to the allotments.

There would be 210 built-to-rent flats a ‘percentage’ of which would be affordable with a mix of studio, 1,2 and 3 bedroom flats. There would be a residents lounge on the ground floor and a Sky Lounge on the 22nd floor.

The ground floor would include 254m² of floor space for light industrial and workshop space, with the building entrance fronting Stanley Road. It is believed that, as the area remains zoned for industrial use, the developers would need to show no loss of such space as a result of the development.

The first floor would include 642m² of flexible floor space serviced by a goods lift located to provide convenient access to the ground floor deliveries and servicing bay.

Location of development

Christopher Stobart who represents the plot holders on the South Acton allotment site (which this year was judged the best small allotment site in The Borough of Ealing) said of the plan,;
“The impact on the allotment site would be devastating, since it would block out sunlight from a large area from approximately midday to the end of the day; noise, wind , mess and general disturbance during construction would have further detrimental impacts. The scale and exact location of these buildings is scarcely mentioned in the material displayed at the exhibition.

“There would also obviously be a major impact on the apartment blocks on Stanley Road, particularly Ravenswood Court.”

South Acton allotments. Picture: Google Streetview

CGI of 'Sky Lounge' on 22nd floor

Henley Investments say they are working closely with Ealing Council. The design would be by HTA Design LLP a design consultancy who specialise in architecture.

CGI of entrance to the planned building

The site is bordered by the industrial estate to the south west, a public footpath to the north, Stanley Road to the east and an allotment to the south east. It is currently used as a car park, servicing the adjoining industrial units. The development will be ‘car-free’.

There has been a spate of major developments in the area recently with Transport for London disclosing that they are intending to develop a large plot of land they own along Bollo Lane with a 'landmark' 25 storey tower at the eastern end. Two 15 storey towers are also being proposed on Stirling Road.

Comment on this planning application

January 29, 2020