TW8's Population Set To Increase By 40% in a Decade
Call to action from Brentford Voice to help shape area in time of rapid change
Huge amount of new homes being built in the Brentford area
Local campaign group Brentford Voice is urging TW8 postcode residents to get more involved in shaping the way their area develops after it revealed the full scale of the changes ahead.
According to data published in its latest newsletter, over the next ten years the number of homes in Brentford is likely to increase by 40% to 20,900.
The comes on top of two previous decades of growth at a breakneck speed. Between 2001 and 2011 the number of homes increased by about 31% and between 2011 and 2021 the increase was 23%, to about 14,900 homes.
The housing “target” for the next 10 years for the whole of the Borough of Hounslow is about 1,800 homes per annum and Brentford’s contribution to this target will be about 33% of the total. In 2021 Brentford’s population is estimated to be about 12% of the Borough total.
Brentford Voice says, “We very strongly believe that growth at these levels must be accompanied by investment in physical and social infrastructure. This must go beyond the relatively narrow remit of land use planning to embrace all those facilities that will strengthen the community that is Brentford.”
The group is planning to hold a series of ‘local conversations’ to understand best how people living in the area would like to see the huge changes in the area managed.
Concerns are expressed about future issues with public transport and it is believed that funding is unlikely to come forward in the near future for projects such as the Brentford to Southall rail link to Crossrail and the West London Orbital railway from Hounslow, via Brentford and Acton, to Hendon and West Hampstead. Brentford Voice believes that major developments in Brentford East and in Osterley have been permitted with no more than very marginal improvements to public transport provision.
It says, “We believe that there is a pressing need in Brentford to improve connectivity between the Great West Road and Brentford High Street. This must include improvements to bus services and to cycling and walking provision along north south routes such as Ealing Road, Boston Manor Road/Half Acre and Syon Lane.
“We strongly support improvements to cycling and walking routes, and initiatives to reduce through traffic in Brentford High Street. We continue to press for the building of two bridges, from The Ham to Syon Park over the canal and from Ferry Quays to Brentford Gate on the Kew side of the Thames.”
Its Environmental Vision seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Brentford from domestic housing, industry and transport to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. Brentford Voice says that major new developments should be net zero-carbon and this must include secondary emissions from construction, as well as energy use post-construction.
On leisure and culture it anticipates many challenges saying there is great uncertainty regarding the future of the Watermans Arts Centre. Following the grant of planning permission for the redevelopment of the existing site for housing, it is understood that LB Hounslow are currently in negotiations with developers to explore the financial implications of a new arts centre on the old police station site in Half Acre.
Planning for a Brentford Canal Festival in June of this year was almost complete. However, this was another casualty of Covid but now Brentford Voice fully intend to hold a Canal Festival in 2022.
It is also applying for funds from LB Hounslow for the establishment of a Waterside Heritage Trail, extending along the Thames National Trail from Kew Bridge.
Although it has set out a framework under which it would like to see Brentford developed, it acknowledges the need to include as many people as possible in the process saying, “We are aware that we need to engage more effectively within our community and to be more inclusive. Therefore if you are concerned about the changes that are happening and coming to Brentford, which we’ve outlined in this Newsletter, and want to have a say on the future of where you live we would very much like to hear from you. Please get in touch in the first instance by emailing us at info@brentfordvoice.co.uk”
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October 1, 2021