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CHISWICK WEST - NEW DEVELOPMENT BY GUNNERSBURY
STATION
Meeting
of residents sees unanimous opposition to plans
- new residents' group planned
Local
people have started to rally in opposition
to the proposed development around Gunnersbury
station. The focus of the discontent is the
plan for a thirty storey residential/hotel
tower. Many are also concerned about the loss
of the John Bull pub, a popular venue for live
music.
A
petition has been started which has already
gathered 350 signatures and homes in the streets
around the development are being leafleted
to ensure that people are aware of the project.
There
has been a meeting of local residents in the
Age Concern Hall on Oxford Road North and opposition
to the plans was unanimous. It was resolved
to form a society for residents of the area,
provisionally called the West Chiswick and
Gunnersbury Society. It already has 77 members.
The
developer is holding an exhibition
at the Town Hall with computer generated
pictures of the development. Representatives
of the developer and the architect will be
available to answer any questions local residents
may wish to ask.
Local
GLA representative and Chairman of the GLA
Planning Advisory Committee Tony Arbour has
come out strongly against the plans saying
that he fears developers are earmarking Chiswick
for a cluster of tall buildings. He described
the scheme as monstrous and said: "Such
a development would irreparably harm the character
and environment of this corner of London. I
shall do whatever I can to protect my constituents
from opportunistic developers who see the Mayor's
strategy as a way to maximise profit at the
expense of community."
The Mayor has recently voiced in principle
support for taller buildings in London saying:
"As well as displaying
our confidence in our city's future, the right
sort of interesting and beautiful tall buildings
can add a value and dynamism to London's skyline
that Londoners and visitors to our capital
can enjoy."
Peter
Eversden of the Chiswick Protection Group,
a federation of local amenity societies, has
detailed the objections to the height of the
main tower of the development in a letter to
the Council. Although he welcomed the regeneration
of the area he is appalled that such a "colossal"
structure could be concentrated. He states:
"It is surrounded by residential houses
and any tall building would adversely affect
the setting of those homes, of the Royal and
public parks, of the locally listed buildings
and of the protected views from and across
the Blue Ribbon Network of the Thames and its
local waterways. The proposed tower block is
not in accordance with LB Hounslow's UDP policies."
He
criticises the emphasis of the retail proportion
of the development pointing out that people
really need shops rather than more bars and
restaurants. Under current guidelines a supermarket
may be required as part of the development.
The
strain on Gunnersbury station is also highlighted.
With 7,000 extra passengers already likely
to use the station in the next few years because
of other developments and no real improvement
in train frequency likely over crowding on
trains is likely to become critical. Bottlenecks
on both the North London Line and the District
line rule out increases in train frequency.
Studies
on the impact on daylight for local residents
show that the development will have a negative
impact on a wide range of streets in the area
to an extent that Mr Eversden describes as
unacceptable. It is also claimed that the plans
fail to meet the requirements for the inclusion
of social housing and that it will have a significant
negative impact on nearby parks and conservation
areas.
English
Heritage have already criticised the BSI building
saying that it is "an anomalous presence
in the predominantly low-rise part of the Borough,
and its highly damaging impact on the surrounding
area and in distant views of this part of the
Borough." They urged more low rise options
to be considered for the area.
Meanwhile
the identity of the developer Clifton Cape
remains a mystery with no company of that name
registered in the U.K. There is some suggestion
that the company's investors are from Hong
Kong.
Minutes
of Meeting of Local residents
Full
Text of Letter of Objection from Peter Eversden
Sample
Letter of Objection from local resident
Spokesman
for Developer Urges Residents to View Plans
Before Deciding
Comment
on this issue on the Chiswick Discussion Forum
Transport
Plans for Chiswick Business Park
Your
local Council Representatives
Contact
details for your MP
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