Hounslow (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Hounslow residents are stepping up objections to the Hogarth roundabout development, raising concerns over traffic, safety, and community impact.
The Mayor of London is now debating whether to construct a high-rise, mixed complex of residences and workplaces at 1 Burlington Lane, next to the Hogarth roundabout.
Despite substantial resistance from local residents, Historic England, local MP Andy Slaughter, and the two nearby councils of Richmond and Hammersmith & Fulham, the development was approved by Hounslow Council’s Planning Committee at the beginning of August.
Burlington Properties London Limited is the developer of the building complex, which will have six to 10 stories.
In the next round of the planning process, Old Chiswick residents who are adamantly opposed to the plan because they believe it will overwhelm their historic neighborhood have now submitted their objections to the Greater London Council (GLA).
In addition to Hounslow, three boroughs would be impacted by the development. Richmond opposes it because it will destroy historic views from the south side of the river, while LB Hammersmith & Fulham have opposed it due to the complex’s height and mass as well as its possible effects on traffic.
According to LB Richmond’s Local Plan, the Surrey Bank’s “protected” vista of St. Nicholas Church is something they are dedicated to maintaining. From that vantage point, the new modern complex will entirely frame the church.
The citizens’ group focuses on Historic England’s concerns that the development would degrade the conservation area’s appearance from the perspectives of Hogarth’s House and Chiswick House in addition to the residential streets of Old Chiswick.
Historic England claims that Chiswick House is a place of tranquility and beauty since you can currently stand there and not see anything of the contemporary world outside. However, the new development will obstruct the view of Chiswick House from the gardens because it will be visible in the backdrop.
The trustees of Chiswick House have not added to the debate, preferring to let Historic England present their case.
According to the OCPS, the 28 extra housing units on the two extra stories that have been added to the most recent plans for the development would be the primary cause of the harm to heritage, which planners are required to take into account.
They contend that the report given by Hounslow’s planning staff to the Planning Committee’s council members was deceptive and omitted this information. An earlier version of the developer’s design would have been preferred by the OCPS, who acknowledge that the current structure, the former McCormack House, is unsightly.
The purpose of the Old Chiswick Protection Society is to safeguard and maintain Old Chiswick’s beauty and character.
What specific harms to the area do residents cite against the Hogarth roundabout plan?
The building’s large scale, bulk, and massing are viewed as out of keeping with historic surroundings, negatively impacting views of Hogarth House, Chiswick House, and other heritage sites. The proposed ten-storey height would loom over the area, causing overshadowing and detracting from the area’s historic and architectural ambiance.
Residents argue that the development would erode the unique historic and cultural identity of Chiswick, one of London’s conservation areas. Concerns are raised about added traffic burdens and pressure on already strained local infrastructure due to the residential density of 132 flats.
The scale of the project is considered excessive and incompatible with the low-rise, residential context of the neighborhood.