Appeal Made Against Refusal Of Houseboat Mooring Plan

Scheme is for two pontoons by Strand on the Green

The company behind a plan to build houseboat moorings at Strand on the Green are appealing to the Secretary of State against Hounslow Council’s refusal of their application.

Thames Floating Homes Ltd want to provide a permanent mooring for two residential houseboats at Steam Packet Steps opposite Cafe Rouge. The mooring would require driving four piles into the river bed, installing timber grid, two pontoons, bridge and access ramp with gate and mains services.

The revised planning application was turned follow a high level of local opposition. There were 119 objections to the renewed bid , most of them from members of The Strand on the Green Association (SoGA). 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.

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

They said, "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-on the-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)"

The appeal will be determined on the basis of written representations with any made to Hounslow Council at the time of the original application being considered again. If you have any comments to make on the proposal you can submit them through the planning inspectorate’s web site. The deadline for responses is 27 March.

If you do not have access to the internet, you can send your comments to: Katie Walter 3G Temple Quay House 2 The Square Bristol BS1 6PN

Details of the Appeal are available on the Hounslow planning website - ref: APP/F5540/W/19/3222684

February 21, 2019