What would be appropriate is a development of a scale and design that fits the local environment and historical context. The historical context is 3 storey georgian shop fronts surrounded by victorian and edwardian buildings of a similar scale. 3 sides of the site lead directly onto a conservation area.The local plan and London plan are the governing framework for approving or rejecting proposals and as I pointed out in another thread, the current proposal doesn't so much bend the requirements as completely ignore them.In addition to the reasons I've already listed for planners to reject this proposal; height, mass, daylight obstruction, poor design, no context, failure to provide required affordable housing, failure to provide balanced accommodation, etc. another is the minimal floor allocation to retail. The plan says this particular site requires 75% retail floor allocation.If you want to know what this is going to look like and the massively detrimental effect it will have on Brentford town centre then stroll along to see the Premier Inn on the A4. Same height and mass, ugly as sin, and imagine that slap bang in the middle of the town.The developers are proposing hundreds of predominantly studio and 1 bed flats because that maximises their profit. LBH appear to have encouraged them because hundreds of flats mean council tax and the other 'encouragement' costs the developer will pay. Luckily the Local Plan and London Plan set the rules, legal rules.
Lorne Gifford ● 3102d