Lendlease Promises To Clean Up 'Shabby' Area Near Empire House

Local councillor takes action after we published these photos

Lendlease have promised to take action following complaints about the state of the area near Essex Place.

Photographs of the shabby area around the abandoned Lendlease site by resident Mike Abbott, published in chiswickw4.com, prompted local councillor Jo Biddolph to take the matter further.

She contacted Lendlease about the what she described as "the embarrassment" that is Empire House with abandoned retail units and the unkempt car park area at the back.

Jo said; " I’ve had an immediate response saying Lendlease has immediately arranged for the site to be cleaned and tidied and that the area project manager will arrange to meet me to discuss next steps. "

Cllr Biddolph had challenged Lendlease on whether it had failed its own Lendlease Test: 'Would I be willing to see what I’m doing or about to do described in detail on the front page of a national newspaper to be read by family and friends?’ Employees must not undertake any action that fails the 'Lendlease Test' even if it is not expressly prohibited by the Code of Conduct."

"The state of Empire House did not seem to me to meet that test,", said Cllr Biddolph.

“I am very pleased that Lendlease responded so quickly and positively and I’m looking forward to the meeting to discuss next steps for the retail units at Empire House. It means there is now a very different Lendlease story – one of immediate action rather than criticism of abandonment – on the front page of chiwickw4.com.

"I’m also glad of the prompt from resident Mike Abbott. Councillors are used to walking around spotting issues but sometimes it’s a case of being bogged down by bollards. Talking to landlords is an important part of the role of the Chiswick Shops Task Force – to reinvigorate the High Road, support our independent shops throughout Chiswick and encourage locals to put independent shopping on their shopping lists. A meeting with Lendlease is a start … there’s much more to come.”

September 14, 2018