New Four Storey Office Block Beside Foster's Bookshop

But plans to demolish building raising concerns

Businesses on Chiswick High Road are concerned about a plan to demolish an office block beside a listed building, and turn it into a Georgian-style complex.

A planning application has been made to demolish the building at 181, Chiswick High Road beside Foster's Bookshop and turn it into a four-storey office building.

The developers propose to rebuild in a Georgian style, in keeping with the adjacent bookshop.

However demolition and rebuilding next to a listed building is likely to be disruptive to the bookshop and to local parking. Local businesses, including the bookshop and the pub, are currently considering their response to the application.

One local business said, "It is likely to cause a lot of noise and affect not only business but parking in the area. Some people weren't aware that it was going to be demolished until they read the application - we thought it was being renovated."

The planning application states that the current lay out of the building is poor, as it was originally intended to be for residential use, but then became offices. The space is poorly laid out and in need of modernisation.

The new development would alter the look and feel of the street landscape for the better, it says. It adds that the area is in need of office space given the recent move towards replacing office space with residential.

February 26, 2016