Builder's Cabin Causes Chiswick Common Row

'Intrusive' workman's cabin is unwelcome near Chiswick timeline mural

For over a year there has been a Conways workman’s cabin right in the middle of the little piazza where Chiswick Back Common meets Turnham Green Terrace. Conways are contracted by TfL to do some works in the railway arches on the other side of the road.

A few months ago Conways approached Hounslow Council’s Parks Department to request permission to move the cabin onto the grassy area behind the E3 bus stop and increase it in size. However, they were told this was impossible as it is common land and cannot be rented out.

Closer inspection of the common land boundaries, however, show that the hard-standing piazza where the cabin is currently situated also falls within the borders of the registered common land.

There is no provision under the London Borough Commons legislation of 1967 to give consent for such a facility, so it seems likely that this cabin would fall under the definition of unlawful works. Only archery practice, sheep lugging and temporary structures ‘for public recreation’ are permissible, and this cabin does not fall under any of these exceptions. “There is no provision under the legislation to give consent for a cabin that is not a facility for public recreation,” explained a spokesman from the Commons Team of the Planning Inspectorate. Any other usage would require special permission from the Secretary of State.

Conways, however, claim that they have permission to place their cabin on common land from Hounslow Highways, and are paying them rent. Hounslow Highways has, according to locals opposed to the cabin being there, ignored repeated requests for information. Has Hounslow Highways illegally rented out common land they ask.

Dr Karen Liebreich of Abundance London, which is working on the nearby Chiswick Timeline mural says: “This cabin is not to the benefit of the common, and in fact is preventing enjoyment of the common.”

An equitable solution, they propose, would perhaps be for Hounslow Highways to put any money it has been paid from this rental towards improvements on the Common - as proposed by the Friends of the Common - and to move the cabin immediately to Back Common Lane, where there are already two other cabins. Conways has previously said that this would be inconvenient as they would have to walk a further 50 metres.

Catherine Meisels, Chair of Friends of Chiswick Common, “Although we appreciate that the work Conways are doing is important for the smooth running of the Underground, by putting this compound right in the middle of the paved area nearest to Turnham Green Station they are not only significantly blocking the considerable pedestrian movement across this area, but have put back our plans for rejuvenating and improving this important corner of Chiswick Back Common. We cannot see why it could not be moved to a less intrusive area nearby.”

We are trying to contact Conways to get a comment and will report back.

December 7, 2017