Renewed Bid For Houseboat Mooring At Steam Packet Steps Fails

Council planners say it would be an 'incongruous and unwelcome addition'

The revised planning application for two residential houseboat moorings at Strand on the Green, has been turned down by Hounslow Council.

Planning officials refused the proposal on the grounds of 'inappropriate development' on Metropolitan Open Land.

"It is considered that the proposal, due to the inappropriate position and design, would result in an incongruous and unwelcome addition to the area, which would fail to preserve the character and appearance of the Strand-onthe-Green Conservation Area, contrary to adopted Local Plan policy CC4 (Heritage) and GB6 (Moorings).

"The applicant has failed to demonstrate that the proposal would not increase the number of persons or property at risk of flooding in the area. As such the proposal would be contrary to adopted Local Plan policy EQ3 (Flood Risk and Surface Water Management)"

There were 119 objections to the renewed bid , most of them from members of The Strand on the Green Association (SoGA). The application was to create moorings for two houseboats at Steam Packet Steps, opposite Cafe Rouge at Strand on the Green.

The revised planning application was lodged with Hounslow Council, following the withdrawal some months ago of the original proposal. SoGA had objected to the first application on a number of grounds, including visual impact on a conservation area, the potential for navigational hazards, damage to ecology, and noise, pollution and rubbish. They also said it would have led to 'houseboat creep' in the area.

The West London River Group, Kew Society and Grove Park Residents opposed the bid. The Residential Boat Owners Association supported it.

The applicant had maintained that the proposal complied with Local Plan policy for residential moorings and had claimed that river frontage at Strand on the Green had been used for mooring boats and barges from the 18th century until the mid-20th century.

November 7, 2018