Forum Topic

High Street car park closed

Does anyone know why the car park at the west end of the High Street, opposite CostCutter, is now closed and boarded up? Of all the 'regeneration' plans for Brentford I don't recall this car park playing a part.  There is precious little parking in Brentford anyway and the loss of these spaces will surely impact on the remaining businesses on the north side of the street. How many more nose-dives can poor old Brentford take before we all give up and go away?

Jane Martin ● 2551d14 Comments

Think everyone one wants less cars as they polute so surely closing car parks reduce polllution. We have to decide one day more or less cars. Most people want bigger cars. Young mums on the school run love their 4X4's for example.

Nicholas Beard ● 2515d

Surely leaving some parking available near our high street would have given an impression of some consideration for those left trying to make a living in Brentford or is it the hope they will go and the north side would then become prime development land as well but maybe l have a suspicious distrust of our glorious leaders in Curran land (sorry) Hounslow.

Jean Harrison ● 2515d

The temporary car park is due to be available in May at the latest and available to the public.Later, the permanent car park will be for a mixture of residential and town centre (essentially retail/business) parking. This is from the outline planning application approved in 2012:"4.79 The application proposes 915 car parking spaces in the following locations:• Block B = 130 spaces (Foodstore and disabled residential parking)• Block C = 32 spaces (residential)• Block D = 72 spaces• Block G = 606 spaces• At Grade = 75 spaces4.80 The residential element of the application includes 615 spaces, which results in one space per 0.66 units. The remaining 300 spaces are for retail and other non-residential floorspace (parking to support the Town Centre). The non-residential parking spaces will be provided within Plots B and G (Multi storey car park) and at grade. A number of the residential parking spaces for phase 1 would be provided within Block G, which is in a later phase. Therefore the applicant is proposing temporary car parking until this later phase comes forward. The temporary car park would be located on the site of future Block J and would contain 227 spaces."There  is a new planning application in the system which changes the temporary provision from Block J (which is down near the river/canal) to Block G (opposite Morrisons). I can't access this at present as the planning system is being moved this weekend from the Civic Centre to Hounslow House and is currently off line. It is 00607/BA/P3 and I believe the entire 150 temp spaces are for public use.

Guy Lambert ● 2522d

Hi, I just want to say that closing this car park has already had a massive impact on all the small businesses that are trying to trade. Has any one in the council thought of how all this disruption will effect existing businesses. On top of loosing the foot full in the high street we have lost the only car park!  We will not survive the 5 years like this.Marcia  from naked grain 16 years est.

Marcia Hallett ● 2523d

Given the apparent scale of the new car park, have you been able to establish whether this a public use site or just for contractors?

Paul Scullion ● 2541d

Public I'm pretty sure. Double checking.

Guy Lambert ● 2548d

Thanks for the update Guy.  Will the site opposite Mossisons be a public car park or just of the use of Ballymore contractors?

Paul Scullion ● 2548d

Poor old Brentford, Chiswick Reach, Kew North or The Brentford Building Site ;-)

Stephen Scott ● 2548d

Thanks for the update Guy. Whatever some people say, parking is one of the critical factors for local trade. Although there isn't much local trade left in Brentford unfortunately...

Alex Shpinkov ● 2548d

OK I now have some information about car parks etc.The small one near Costcutter has closed because Ballymore are looking to site a crane there. The crane is planned to arrive over the coming weekend (wind permitting) Dock Road will also be closed over the coming weekend to facilitate the crane installation but should be back in use Monday 18th.There will be a 150 space temporary car park provided opposite Morrisons (in the recently cleared space), but they have three months to make this available from the land transfer (due this Friday 15th Feb) so it looks like we may not have it until 15th May. There is of course some space (with restrictions) in Morrisons Car Park plus there is a commercial car park under Ferry Quays (Town Meadow) as well as Albany Parade (and on street parking in The Butts and elsewhere)

Guy Lambert ● 2548d

But why has it closed now? Cllr Lambert's report from the Ballymore meeting states tgat Ballymore aren't planning to undertake any further works until April/May. Exactly where are visitors supposed to park in the meantime?

Jane Martin ● 2551d

There have been signs on posts for a couple of months about closure of the car park.

Reg Ghosh ● 2551d

According to Guy's weekly blog the site opposite Morrisons will be a temporary car park once site works and archaeological investigations are complete. Closing the car park at the west end without notice is outrageous and premature. No doubt Guy will get on the case....

Iain Muir ● 2551d

As far as i was aware the car park you mention was always planned for closure as one of the first parts of the redevelopment.Prior to this on the land opposite Morrisons supermarket, between Heidelberg's and the road into the docks  a new car park was due to be built to take over.I haven't been that way for a while so can't say what the progress is of that.

Martin Webb ● 2551d