CHISWICK AREA COMMITTEE- PLANNING - MEETING APRIL 11, 2002

Some of the issues most concerning CHISWICKW4 forum contributors were Chiswick Library, the John Bull pub, Pinnacle development, CPZs and Chiswick Road.

Chiswick Library / Barley Mow
The consensus seemed to be that the design was not in sympathy with the area and might be considered overdevelopment. It was felt that the exterior and interior design and the layout inside should be rethought. There were also concerns that the library was being relegated into the basement and about who would ultimately "own" the building but both these matters are not strictly for the Planning Committee and are likely to be raised at the next CAC (Monitoring) Meeting. The scheme in principal was accepted as a good idea.

John Bull Public House demolition and redevelopment as office space.
Every councillor who spoke at the meeting was critical of the design with the word "banal" frequently used. The loss of a retail outlet in a mixed development area was decried, it was emphasised that Chiswick Business Park and not the High Road was the place where office space had been planned and that the public house should be a goldmine with the influx of new office workers to the area. The recommendation to be carried to the SDC was that the application should be refused.

Pinnacle Development (13 storey version)
The developers have put in an application for a totally new scheme, albeit one which apparently occupies the same area and is the same height as that granted permission. The consensus was that the scheme currently approved was less obnoxious than the new proposal (the word banal was used again) and a comment was made that this looked like an abuse of process. The
recommendation to go forward to the SDC was for refusal, bearing in mind that permission already exists for a similar volume development.

Controlled Parking Zones
East and central Chiswick zones will not be changed. The Chiswick Mall scheme will be implemented before the West Chiswick one. The West Chiswick CPZ would be a large one and it could cover a lot of its implementation costs from the first year of permit income. Councillors urged that it should have Traffic Orders raised for it as soon as possible. There were no answers at the Area Committee meeting about the non-approved use of Stanhope's funds on the Central Chiswick CPZ. Cllr Thompson called for a report on that for the next meeting.

Chiswick Road
The Area Committee members decided to request an officer report for a six month trial of a ban on the left turn out of the road. The report should be available in a few weeks' time. (The right turn will have to be enforced). Another possibility is the complete closure of the eastern end of the road. It is likely that Sutton Lane will be made one way north at the same time.

Chiswick Road Reaction

Forum Discussion of CAC meeting

10th April 2002