'Exclusive Gated Community' Planning Decision Referred Back To Hounslow Council

Local residents oppose plan to extend height of flats at Devonhurst Place

A large contingent of residents attended the Chiswick Area Forum (CAF) to voice their opposition to IndigoScott's latest plans for an' exclusive gated community' of sixty flats at Devonhurst Place. They claim that a second planning application to extend the height with penthouse apartments will have a detrimental effect on the area.

Representatives of the developer were also at the meeting where the application was 'called in' by Cllr Ranjit Gill for discussion.

Hounslow Council had given prior approval to IndigoScott for conversion of the four- storey office block to residential, but local people complained that a second application had been 'slipped in' over the summer to turn the mansard roof into a new floor with a further fifth floor of penthouse suites. They described a plan to have 48 solar panels on the roof as " a mini solar energy farm."

The residents claimed that the extra height on the building ( on the second planning application) would block the light to people living in Hadley Gardens. They said the new design was incompatible with being located in a Conservation area and they criticised the fact that the development did not allow for any affordable housing.

One local resident told the CAF that they felt local people should have been given time to lodge any objections and it was unfair that this had happened during the summer holidays.

A representative of IndigoScott said they had not been made aware of the residents' complaints but would be willing to discuss any points made. A technical report had concluded there would be no loss of privacy or daylight to Hadley Gardens residents. There were no additional windows being added and there was no opportunity for being overlooked. The solar panels would sit below the parapet and would not increase the height. In terms of affordable housing, there was only a requirement for this on major developments.

A motion was put forward by Cllr John Todd, seconded by Cllr Gill, that the decision on planning for this new proposal, be sent back to council officers and if they approved it, then the matter should be brought up for discussion at a full Planning Committee. If it not approved by planning officers, the matter should be a delegated decision. The motion was agreed.

Last year, IndigoScott paid Blackstone over the guide price of £10 million for the 23,000 sq ft unit which is next door to the main Post Office.

Devonhurst Place is a courtyard development arranged as a terrace and vertically divided into six buildings each with their own dedicated entrances and with 30 car parking spaces at basement level. Indigo Scott plan to provide 60 apartments at the site with an underground car park as part of an ‘exclusive gated community’ with work originally due to commence in Spring 2018

September 5, 2018