Forum Topic

New Brentford eyesore would not get go ahead in Chiswick

So Brentford is to get a new 25 storey eyesore that would not get planning permission in the town next door. What a pointlessly ugly building it will be. Still it’s a nice and close to the airport should make a fine target for terrorist plane hijackers.How long are the local Fire Brigades ladders, long enough, I doubt it. Still I doubt if that’s a concern at Hounslow’s Planning department none of them will be living in it.

Philip Walsh ● 6858d19 Comments

My mistake

Keith Iddon ● 6848d

Council tax from 'Hotel residents'! Are you sure about that? It is going to be a Hotel, isn’t it (lets hope it doesn’t have a US flag on top).

Philip Walsh ● 6848d

Do 'they' ever learn?  I remember how 'wonderful' the tower blocks were going to be when proposed for the site opposite Gunnersby Park....Will there will sufficient space on the roof of 'Nelson Mandela House' for a nuclear shelter?

Ann S. Allridge ● 6849d

So we'll get the extra doctors,ambulances,fire engines and police locally that all that extra council tax paid locally by the extra hundreds of people who will be living there will need...that's ok then.

Keith Iddon ● 6850d

Went along to the consultations - put my bit forward.  Absolutely took no notice.My vision for the Golden Mile was that it stayed that way.  Business and commercial.  Why would anyone want to live on the GWR with so much traffic, pollution - light, nasal and noise!  The knock on effects of this are never realised until the local hospital and doctors find out that they have to deal with more health problems.Additionally I felt that the Councillors were not prepared to fight Barretts who are known to have a strong legal team at their backs.  25-storey poker - what a magnet for the maniacs out there.

Eileen Henderson ● 6850d

As stated I don’t like tower blocks and I guess we will find out about loss of light when it’s built. Which side of 9/11, the London bombings and the recent plane bombing threat at Heathrow was the fire brigade and B.A consulted.I guess we will find out one way or the other as to whether I’m scraping the barrel over this issue when it’s built won’t we.I have not seen a picture yet but would like to, for now lets guess:              [==]            [==]            [==]            [==]            [==]            [==]            [==]            [==]            [==]            [==]            [==]            [==]            [==]            [==]            [==]            [==]            [==]            [==]            [==]            [==]            [==]            [==]      I========I      I========I      I========IPerhaps it or its base will be wider but I think you get my drift.It is still true that you could not of built it in Chiswick could you and the report I read seemed to imply that there a was no objections when apparently there was some.

Philip Walsh ● 6851d

"What of the safety and indeed sanity of placing such a tall building so close to the airport in today’s political reality."The 25-storey tower will be about 280 ft high (85 m, actually 2 metres shorter than the new control tower at the airport itself).  The greatest risk would occur if the third main runway were built at Heathrow.  The approach path on the map would pass very close to the new tower (less than 200 m horizontally).  However, the planes would be about 1900 ft above ground at that point.  In other words, the clearance would be more than currently exists when planes fly over 2-storey houses in Isleworth.At present, the nearest planes are more than 1.4 km south of the tower, so the risk is even smaller.  BAA raised no objections, even when the plan was for a 30-storey tower.You are scraping the barrel of plausible arguments, Philip, as one can see by your description of the tower as a "phallic testament".  I haven't seen a picture of what it will look like yet.  Presumably you have; how about posting it here for us all to see?

Richard Jennings ● 6852d

If you live near Chiswick flyover it would need to be about two miles high to block out any light so I think you'll be ok. The Fire Brigade are consulted on applications like this, as are all emergency srvices. It's also fair to point out that there were objections, but the committee decided that there was more good about the design than bad.

Matt Harmer ● 6852d

MattAs stated in an earlier post, I do not live in Brentford only work here so was unaware of the height of this development until I recently chanced upon it. I have no idea how well the local people have been consulted, living in Chiswick and to the east of this devolvement I was not consulted but do have many concerns.As the post title states this would not have been acceptable just a couple of miles away in the same borough and the fact that there was no objections leaves me wondering if nearby residents realise the loss of light they may experience as well as the loss of privacy to their homes and gardens with this monster on the door step.As I say I live in Chiswick behind the flyover with an east to west running garden. I wonder where on my skyline this will sit. Will my family and I still be able to sit on our back stairs and enjoy the last rays of the spring and summer sun as the last 4 generations of my family have or will the sun disappear behind this phallic testament to its designers and approvers.What of the safety and indeed sanity of placing such a tall building so close to the airport in today’s political reality. I ask this question having just received a letter from SO19 concerning the sale of some of the chemicals sold from my shop and there use by terrorists.I ask again, what are the capabilities of the local Fire Brigade to deal with a major fire or worse at this location.

Philip Walsh ● 6852d

PhilipDo you feel that your input into the consultation period was ignored? Did your letters get answered? The development was consulted on in greater depth than any other; it would be worrying to hear that you feel that your points were not dealt with.

Matt Harmer ● 6853d

'however in general they are landmarks, impressive and very often beautiful.' like when, can you name one, especially locally. Brentford tower blocks perhaps or those idyllic ones at Ivy Bridge or the quaint little BSI building that Chiswick residents love so much.Still not had an answer about the local fire brigades ability to deal with an emergency at this planned Island in the sky. Oh and Allan it’s about time Co OP Homes paid their bill its months old and its getting hard to accept its simple incompetence causing the delay. I had hoped for a response to my e.mail as you have seemed to be such a helpful chap from your postings.

Philip Walsh ● 6853d

I guess some tall building can be very ugly however in general they are landmarks, impressive and very often beautiful.

Alan Sheerins ● 6854d

It still sounds like a monolithic eyesore to me

Philip Walsh ● 6854d

I think there is some confusion as to what the 25 storey tower will be used for. It was designated to be a hotel and not any kind of residential housing for rich or poor. At the back of the north Brentford quarter site, away from the M4 flyover, is where the residential accomodation will be sited. There is also a large amount of premises for employment  planned within the scheme. I understand that any large redevelopment will always have its supporters and detractors but at the end of the day this final configuration had cross party support on its planning consent. That must have been a first in Hounslow and says something for the level of debate that there had been. The driver for change on these old manufacturing areas is partly the need for more accomodation throughout London but also the reduction of mass manufacturing in general in the UK and specifically in the South East of England. This part of Brentford has had some ugly old buildings being vandalised for years and to regenerate the area with a functional mixed development has got to be a better option.

Colin Ellar ● 6854d

Consultation or not Tower block are unsightly and without doubt dysfunctional islands in the sky and they have proved themselves to be crap places to live in every part of Britain.I don’t live in Brentford but in Chiswick perhaps that why I know so little about this developement, however I do run my business from a Brentford high street shop and have heard a few locals referring to the river and canal developments as ''the estates for the rich folk to live in''. I can’t help but wounder if this new devolvement is or will became ‘'the estate for the poor folk to live in’’ just like Brentford’s other tower blocks. Apparently the council are looking for names for the new developments in Brentford, for this one, I suggest the Freddie Barrett Penis or perhaps the Brentford Phallus.As you can see I hate tower blocks they are unsightly, intrusive and widely reconised as crap places to live no matter what else is incorporated in the scheme, that’s why they are being demolish everywhere else.

Philip Walsh ● 6857d

Philip, I was aware of the North Brentford Quarter development. I thought you were referring to a new development  proposal.

James de Vivenot ● 6857d

Hello both; there were months of consultations about this, beginning about three years ago- I went to some of the sessions. The architects were there,who seemed to listen carefully to opinions and suggestions. I have to say I think it's going to be great; there will be lots of facilities for the local community, they are keeping the art deco frontage, and generally, in my opinion, a timely replacement of what is currently there. `i am very pleased that it all went through with so little fuss, and with a lot of support. I wish decisions could be made about the high street in such a constructive way.

Helen Martin ● 6858d

On this site on the first page is an item to do with a new hoarding on the A4 click on this then on the right hand side of your screen is another list of topics click on the one about the north Brentford development and you Will know as much as me.Chiswick’s BSI  was formerly the IBM and must be at least 30years old, it is why no other blocks were built. Resident hated it then and don’t much like it now. It is often mentioned during planning objections ie Chiswick roundabout and Kew Bridge developments.I’m amazed that Brentford’s residents are willing to put up with it I can't help wondering how many Knew of it, as there was apparently no objections.I don’t see how this fits in with the idea of ‘’well considered developments’’ the Council say we can expect in the town at all.

Philip Walsh ● 6858d

Chiswick has already got the BSI building in Gunnersbury which I believe is 18 storeys.Please could you share any more information you have about the proposed building.

James de Vivenot ● 6858d