As one of the councillors for Chiswick Gunnersbury ward, Cllr Joanna Biddolph spoke at this evening's planning committee meeting that considered the Chiswick Tower development. Jo supported the redevelopment of the main tower, avoiding the environmental cost of demolition and construction, and the one-off opportunity this developer offers to provide TfL and Network Rail time to develop plans to improve Gunnersbury station. She spoke about the disadvantages of this development, notably the tiny size of the 394 co-living flats (expected to be lived-in by couples and therefore for 788 people) and the poor doors separation of the 23 social housing units which will be in the nine-storey tower not in the from 19-storey tower, but overall supported the proposal. The planning committee approved it unanimously.
Councillor Joanna Biddolph started with a declaration, as required by the council's code of conduct for councillors:
Before I start, I must declare that I know the owner of Your Shout, the consultancy firm employed by the developer. I also know one of the freelancers he works with but who has not, as far as I’m aware, been involved in this development. I think the owner would agree that I had an extremely robust conversation with him about the inadequacies of the consultation – particularly the online consultation sessions – that demonstrate that I am not influenced by the fact that I know him.
Councillor Joanna Biddolph then spoke for five minutes, as allowed by the planning committee chairman.
Now for my comments on this application ...
First, it is not fully accurate to describe me as an objector. There are some aspects of this proposal that residents support. Plus I am representing their views, not my own.
I will start with the positives then talk about some of the concerns.
First, the good points.
- That the tallest building is not to be demolished and replaced: the impact of new builds on the environment is huge and conversion is preferable but needs to be done well
- Land safeguarding for the improvement of Gunnersbury station - this is a one-off opportunity that must not be missed and it will be if this application is refused.
- I endorse the comments made by the West Chiswick and Gunnersbury Society on the timescale and other issues.
So, first the Gunnersbury station improvements:
- The entrance to the station must be kept clear and as wide as possible; landscaping is welcome but must be practical and support safe movement.
- I am worried that the landscape proposals will not safely accommodate the large numbers of travellers who use this station at peak times
- Before Covid, 10,000 people a day commuted to the business park opposite
- Currently around five to six thousand a day commute mid-week at Chiswick business park with signs that this is increasing; the 2023 count you've been given is irrelevant
- Steps up/down and modular seating, right at the entrance, pretty though they are, are interruptions to safe, fast walking
- The need here is not for a public park and exhibition space – but for safe passage in a hurry; it is a transport hub for tube and train
- The seating and planting should be moved east, which would help the West Chiswick and Gunnersbury Society - that area - and it should be without steps
- It is ironic that steps are being put in just as we want step-free access to the station.
On social housing:
- It is regrettable that the social housing homes will be based on the much-derided poor doors concept, isolating social tenants from their neighbours; there is nothing that can be done about that but I think you should be aware of it.
The development next:
- As a former member of this committee described a similar proposal elsewhere, this is a huge HMO
- Yet the report identifies there is “a limited need for co-living in the borough” and an “extremely limited need for large-scale purpose-built shared living accommodation in Hounslow” and forecasts are “that household formation rates for younger single persons are falling
- The concern is that, with services including a concierge, linen changing, room cleaning services, it will become a gigantic Airbnb or similar with a constant churn of residents with no commitment to the local community
- Its management is therefore crucial; the units and communal areas must not deteriorate as has happened in housing association blocks; we don't know who will manage it or how it will be managed
- The size of the units is tiny, one resident has described this development as “a human filing cabinet”
- All units, in both blocks, fail the various acceptable size standards
- If the station improvements do not happen, the council will have confined residents to rabbit-hutch living so embers must assess the suitability of the size of the flats independently of the potential station improvement
- The suggestion, made to me personally, that this block will reduce the pressure on HMOs elsewhere is an illusion and a distraction
- Converting one modest house to a six bedroom HMO, which in Chiswick yields around £1,000 a room, will always attract investors
- The borough already has an oversupply of one and two bedroom flats; the real need is for family homes
- Next, cladding and I need some reassurance about this - residents are very concerned about cladding in relation to the Grenfell tragedy and also bits falling off so if you could give some clarification on what it is going to be, and how safe it is going to be, that would be helpful
- Overlooking remains a concern with residents of nearby roads and this doesn't seem to have been satisfied in the plans
- You have all talked about wind - the concern of residents is that the integrity of the building is at risk, when the windows are open, because currently the windows can't be opened; that's changing the dynami.cs
Other issues raised by Councillor Joanna Biddolph were:
- Lighting along the two paths has been problematical for years; it needs to be better and to be done by one supplier so it is easier to ask for repairs
- Water supply is mentioned; Thames Water is telling existing residents they must pay to have water pumped to their homes; this must not happen here; water to this development must be secured without any impact on others
- Finally, construction hours must support residential living which this area is. Too many developments are given concessions and life for neighbours is intolerable.
You can read the planning officer's report to the planning committee here.
The meeting was recorded and is posted on YouTube but the quality is very poor and deteriorates; it is here.
