Hogarth Business Park To Include One-Third Affordable Homes

A public exhibition of plans will take place next week

The Berkeley Group which is planning to develop the Hogarth Business Park into a residential area has said one-third of the development will be given over to "intermediate tenure affordable homes" but this is not the same as social housing.

An exhibition for members of the local community to see the submitted plans for their proposed development of the Hogarth Estate will take place on Thursday June 20th, at the George and Devonshire, 8 Burlington Lane, Chiswick, W4 2QE Time: 16:00 till 20:30

The company has responded to concerns voiced by Cllr Adrian Lee at the recent Chiswick Area Forum meeting, that mixed development might lead to social division, saying;"The proposed development aims to provide 52 intermediate tenure affordable homes. These will include 3 bedroom family units and comprise 30% of the total numbers of units on site.

"Intermediate affordable housing is not 'social housing' but includes shared ownership, discount market sale and a range of other unit types that provide lower cost housing for local people."

In its brochure, the company has pointed out that Hounslow Council has identified this part of the borough as one that is in need of a boost for affordable housing. The development also includes more expensive terraced housing, adjacent to Paxton Road.

View of the proposed development from Burlington Lane

Responding to concerns about the different designs and heights of the development, the developers commented; "With regard to the heights of the building, they have been carefully designed so that there is a gentle transition in height between the three storey homes proposed to the west of the site and the four to five storey buildings on the eastern side. These eastern properties are of course adjacent to McCormack House which is equivalent to eight residential storeys."

View of proposed terrace housing

In its brochure, the company has pointed out that Hounslow Council has identified this part of the borough as one that is in need of a boost for affordable housing.

"The Mayor of London has also identified significant demand for intermediate affordable housing. It is described as a sector that is badly in need of a boost to ensure that London provides homes that meet the needs of its skilled workforce."

Situated close by the Hogarth roundabout on the Great West Road, with an entrance on the A316, the business park is currently owned by Prudential Life Fund and despite extensive marketing has been only 50% occupied for some time.

The terrace of five-bedroom three-storey homes will be adjacent to Paxton Road and the blocks of apartments for the area of the site bordering the A4.

The development will have a 3,600 square feet 'orchard' park landscaped area as an amenity space for residents, in keeping with its historical use as an orchard. The current plans envisage 131 flats and more than 40 houses. Three of the apartment blocks are to be private three-storey buildings, four to be 4-5 storeys high.

The current aspect of the area near the flyover

During the recent presentation on the development made to the Chiswick Area Forum, councillors asked about the effect of extra traffic and parking requirements in the area. The meeting was told that all the houses and flats would be provided with their own parking spaces either at ground or basement levels and all parking would be contained within the development site. The completed scheme would generate approximately 50% less traffic than the site does currently. The spokesman for the developers said this was the result of a close look at traffic movements for a twenty year period.

If the scheme proceeds, construction is expected to take about two and a half years.

June 11, 2013