CHISWICK WEST - NEW DEVELOPMENT BY GUNNERSBURY
STATION
Spokesman
claims increasing local support for development
as residents blast anonymity of developers
Steve
Bartlett, the spokesman for
the developers Clifton Cape,
is claiming increasing local
support for the Chiswick West
project following the exhibition
held earlier this month. He
stated that the plans show that
every storey of the tower block
in the project represented 4
homes for key workers or social
housing units and that increased
understanding of the development
is leading many locals to revise
their views.
Most
of the residential units in
the taller block will not be
for key workers or social housing
units but will be built in one
of the other blocks in the development.
As the residential units in
the main block are on the higher
floors reducing the number of
floors would proportionately
reduce the number of "affordable"
or key worker units.
He
categorically denied that the
plans were an opening gambit
designed to secure an easier
passage for a design without
a 30 storey block saying: "The
architect doesn't have two sets
of plans"
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The
architect's design for the development
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The
main block is a key element of the plan which
isn't likely to be abandoned easily. His view
of the exhibition was that even the objectors
to the development acknowledged the aesthetics
of the plans and he said these would be compromised
without the main towers.
Visitors
to the exhibition completed 86 response forms
of which 14 were wholly in favour of the development.
These results will be presented to the Chiswick
Area Committee which will be discussing the
development on Monday 19th November.
Marie
Hawthorne, a local resident who has been organising
opposition to the development, said that the
fear of local people was that West Chiswick
was becoming an extension of the Golden Mile
and that the new society formed by local residents
would press to have the area made a conservation
area. She raised the issue of the identity
of the developers who have acted through proxies
so far.
According
to a spokesman, Clifton Cape is effectively
a consortium of Far Eastern investors. They
have been involved in funding other developments
in Chiswick including the nearby Barrett Homes
and Persimmon projects. He stated that they
would not be selling on the development as
soon as planning permission was granted. He
refused to give full details on the names of
the individuals or companies in the consortium.
A
spokesman for Hounslow Council said: "One
of the anomalies regarding local planning laws
is that the applicant for a planning application
does not have to be the developer - planning
application can be sought and approved and
the land could then be sold to someone else
to develop. Because of this, the developer's
details aren't relevant to the planning application."
This
has caused some concern amongst local residents.
One commented: "There could be any number
of perfectly good reasons why the real identity
of the developers hasn't been revealed thus
far, but given the outcry it would seem reasonable
for local people to know who is planning to
change their environment so drastically. The
character and corporate history of the people
behind the development should be subject to
public scrutiny just as much as the plans.
An unscrupulous developer would know that planning
enforcement is often lax in the area and be
prepared to renege on some of the commitments
made to get approval.
The
Area Committee meeting on 19th November at
St. Michaels and All Angels Church will not
be making the decision on this development
but councillors will be allowed to pass comments
to the Sustainable Development Committee of
Hounslow Council.
Minutes
of Meeting of Local residents
Opposition
Grows to Chiswick West
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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