Stadium Development to Transform Chiswick Skyline

Plans at exhibition show how landscape would radically alter

Residents were given their first indication of the massive scale of the development associated with Brentford Football Club's stadium with the release of visualisations at a public exhibition.

The pictures show that the scheme, which could potentially have ten tall towers the tallest of which would be 14 storeys high, would radically alter the landscape for residents in Chiswick.

The Football Club is planning to move from its existing stadium at Griffin Park to a new purpose built ground close by. The plans being developed will provide a modern 20,000 capacity stadium and they hope to have it completed by 2015. According to Saturday's Daily Telegraph, London Wasps are in discussing with the Brentford F.C. about a ground share at the stadium.

The developers hope to submit their planning application in May. The West Chiswick and Gunnersbury Association has already voiced its concern about how the arrival of 2,000 fans would impact on transport at Gunnersbury station. This number would increase significantly if rugby was also played at the site.

Local groups in Chiswick say the capacity of the stadium and the potential scale of the enabling development, which may include three tall residential blocks on each of three corners of the site, will have a major impact on Chiswick.

A view from Strand on the Green

One Chiswick resident said she was pretty shocked at way in which the new stadium would impact on W4, particularly the Strand on the Green and Wellesley Road area.

"I visited the public exhibition with several neighbours and we were pretty shocked at the size and scale of the residential developments - they are proposing 13-14 storey high rises. The community in Chiswick needs to be aware of this to make our comments known, or there will be a lot of unhappy people in the area."

The view from Wellesley Road

The development view from Kew Green

The ultimate size of the development will depend on whether the club can acquire additional sites in the area. Depending on the mix between residential and commercial in the scheme there could be an increase in population of over one thousand.

There is more information on the Club website www.brentfordcommunitystadium.com

March 23, 2013