This is a badly disguised attempt to tug at the heartstrings of people, and frankly extremely cynical. WMUH got rid of all their staff accommodation years ago - talk about ironic. The thinking from people who know is that a lot of hospital staff would not want to live that near especially nurses as they could get called in on their days off if their are staff shortages. This may well discriminate against nurses from abroad who would most likely be tempted by a place to live, if they could even afford these places that is. There was a report this week which has seen that areas of this country who are poor in green spaces see higher mortality rates and lower figures for physical and mental health. Just today Chris Packham has said we have 'an environmental and biodiversity crisis' - this area of allotments is a real gem for biodiversity in an urban area. There is also a question over why Hounslow's planners have not made this an 'enabling' application, as the estate claims they need this development to 'enable' work on Syon House. Of course were that the case financial details would have to be shown, the fact that planners haven't insisted on this means the Duke and his merry band can just pull the wool over the eyes of officers and planning committee members and plead poverty and ruin if he doesn't get his way. Hounslow keep banging on about 'greener and cleaner' and climate change so perhaps they should read the report from Barcelona Institute for Global Health which says 'Spending time in nature not only benefits our health and provides us with opportunities for physical exercise and social interaction, but it also helps to mitigate air pollution, heat and noise levels, all while reducing the planet's carbon footprint'. Will anyone actually listen and remember that the Duke has lost a planning inquiry over this very development before, if Hounslow seriously think throwing a few allotment patches in this time around makes any difference to the likely damage that could be done then there's something seriously wrong, they - after some persuasion fought against this last time - they need to support local people's wishes again and tell the Duke to pay to have his own property repaired.
Vanessa Smith ● 928d