Forum Topic

Brentford Area Action Plan (BAAP) submitted 20/7/07

I have just received a letter from the Hounslow Council saying that the Brentford Area Action Plan (BAAP) has been submitted to the Secretary of State on 20/7/07.You can read it (118 pages of it) on their website:http://www.hounslow.gov.uk/brentford_area_action_plan.pdf

Duncan Walker ● 6524d14 Comments

Shelagh, you asked about Lot's Ait, well I have just received the following answers from Hounslow Planning dept. (my questions to them in quotes):"Could you tell me if Lot's Ait is protected against development? I do not see it in your descriptions of the 26 Conservation Areas."Lots Ait is not in a conservation area, but it is part of a Nature Conservation Area and is a site of Regional and Metroplitan importance where UDP policy presumes against built development unless it can be shown that it will not harm nature conservtion interests and includes interpretive and nature study facilities and ancillary uses."Could you also tell me who owns Lot's Ait and what are the current plans Hounslow has for this land? I do notice it is part of the RR1 development site, in the newly released BAAP."I don't know for certain who owns the Ait, but we think it is a company called Hither Green Developments Ltd.  The BAAP is the most recent statement of Council intent.

Duncan Walker ● 6506d

ShelaghI've just recovered a few of the snaps that I took on Lot's Ait.  With all the different frames scattered around..be assured that they were obviously nicked, taken there at low tide, the accessories taken off the frames, etc etc-------------------------------------------------------There were some classic views though. This picture is a favourite of mine.

Jim Lawes ● 6514d

Shelagh, rest assured we have not been brow-beaten regardless of the muscle action, and that we have done our research.Ballymore relied on just that, confidently(?) assuring themselves and the press that any claim to the Dock was without merit. Unhappily for them, the Land Registry have not agreed, and are forwarding the case to their Adjudicator for determination. Needless to say Ballymore are furious, and hope to spike matters by having us directed to take matters to the High Court, which they'd quash with Security for Costs orders. I doubt that that will happen, meanwhile the legality of their actions in light of this remains to be examined.Their partners British Waterways have stepped in with a hopeful 'coup-de-gras', threatening to impound our homes if not removed from the canal system altogether. We won't lie down for that either.As to Lot's Ait, the owners were at one point the Ferry Quays developers, but I must admit I haven't researched that further. As to some of your questions, there are different areas 'conserved' in one way or another - the island falls within the 'Thames Policy Area' as well as in the Kew Gardens 'buffer zone' and such like, which can be seen on maps published on Hounslow Council's website. They make interesting viewing.

Nigel Moore ● 6520d

Well, well, well!Amazing what a bit of digging around in records can actually uncover over Lot's Ait.It would be interesting to see what Hounslow Council come up with though.I trust the Ridgeway guys did a bit of digging around before being brow-beaten by force of these Johnny-cum-latelies.

S Passmore ● 6520d

How strange then that Hounslow council don't list Lot's Ait as a conservation area in one place but is shown as such on the BAAPs map.  Also, so I've been told, though this is from word of mouth and I've yet to see documented evidence, that the eviction notice has been served by the same people that booted the Ridgeways guys from their site.    I've also tried to do a land registry search which has flummoxed me somewhat.  Then I hear stories.  According to my son this area is known as Bill Palmer's island  Who is Bill Palmer?  Anyone know?  And then he says the area shown as the Brentford Ait should be called the King George (ii or iii?) Islands as this was when the river was dredged of silt to make it deeper for boats to get through.  But is wasn't until the 50/60s?  of the last century it was shored up because it was slowly eroding away with the tide and had already been split into two bits.  Sometimes I do wonder where fantasy becomes fact or vice-versa  and that anyone else can corroborate on these stories.But yet again I digress from the crux of the original post.

S Passmore ● 6520d

On the Hounslow council website, there is a section on Conservation Areas:http://www.hounslow.gov.uk/conservation_urban_designLot’s Ait doesn’t appear in the list of 26 areas, maybe it is protected by some other instrument.In the past I have looked at a planning application for Ferry Quays at the Brentford library and part of that submission was a survey of the ecology and wild-life on Lot’s Ait and surrounds, to support the application for a building at Point Wharf. They said their building would have no adverse effect on the wild life. That application was turned down.Kew Gardens are very keen on ensuring any development in sight of them, does not affect their World Heritage status. So I would think they would have an interest in any development on the aits and river frontage. Brentford Ait is on the Surrey side of the boundary.I have just emailed the Hounslow Council planning office, asking who owns Lot’s Ait and if it is part of a conservation area or other protection. I’ll post the reply when it comes.

Duncan Walker ● 6521d

Thank you, Duncan.  However, surely if Lots Ait is in a conservation area then surely no-one should be able to submit planning applications for anything that would upset the ecological balance of that area?

S Passmore ● 6522d

Jim - Do you know for a fact that bike parts discovered on the island were indeed stolen ot just scrap bike parts?

S Passmore ● 6522d

On page 89 of the BAAP, it defines the RR1 development site, which includes developments on Point Wharf, Ferry Wharf and Lot's Ait. It says here 'various owners'. An extract is:"RR1 - FERRY WHARF, POINT WHARF, GOAT WHARF, AND SOAPHOUSE CREEKFerry Wharf- The provision of a boat storage/ repairs building together with an interpretation facility relating to Ferry Quays and the historic importance of the River Thames/ Grand Union Canal Junction. A jetty should also be provided for a Brentford to Kew ferry.Point Wharf- Provision of a public seating area with associated landscaping and additional moorings along the canal.Thames Path - Completion of the Thames Path between Goat Wharf and the rear of 41, High Street Brentford.Soaphouse Creek- The provision of moorings of an appropriate nature, number and scale.High quality landscaping should be provided throughout the siteLots Ait- Preservation and restoration of boat sheds and ecological managementarea.The restoration of the boat houses located on Lots Ait offers a significant opportunity to contribute to the development of Brentford’s waterside employment cluster.”I do know, there has been some planning applications submitted on Point Wharf and Ferry Wharf, (see on planning web page of Hounslow Council website), but none for Lot's Ait yet.

Duncan Walker ● 6522d

This link may be better Jim?http://www.hounslow.gov.uk/isleworth_brentford_area_plan-2.pdf

Paul Fisher ● 6522d

I seem to be unable to download the Action Plan...I keep getting the the response""File does not start with %PDF""Regarding Lots Ait, I thought that it was owned by someone connected with the Ferry Quays development.  The chap, who you say has lived on that Island for 14 years, must have being overseeing the regular visits there by scalleywags at low tide who were taking their collection of stolen bikes for dismantling at their Island workshop..before returning to the mainland to sell the bicycle parts!!Full story via Forum Search?

Jim Lawes ● 6522d

I am very pleased to see the conservation area running all along the Thames and including Lots Ait. I notice this area is also included in the proposed Kew World Heritage site.  Could one of the councillors please advise me on who has served an inviction notice on someone who has lived on Lots Ait for the past fourteen years as I have yet to be shown the documented evidence from the resident concerned?  Now if this is the council because of the conservation area so be it.  Though if this notice is from a property developing company I would like to know how they could have purchased a bit of land that is slap-bang in a conservation area?  Comments please?PS - I'm very fond of the wild life in that area and once my son has shown me how to upload pics to the computer I may be able to post pics of the mallard and tufty duck offspring together with pics of baby Candian geese and the breeding colony of Egypian geese.  But not a pic of the strange birds I saw the other morning - bright blue with red bits - fast flying - darting - long tail bit at the end of them.  They certainly attracted the attention of the herons and kingfishers.  But I digress.  I would like others to focus on my first point not my inane witterings on birdies.

S Passmore ● 6522d

I am very proud of the BAAP and was priviledged to be the one to "sign it off" about three weeks ago.Many thanks are due to all the Councillors involved both past and present,Hounslow Council Officers,and of course residents of the area for all their hard work and contributions towards it.

Paul Fisher ● 6522d

And a damn good plan it is too, having taken more notice of community input than any before it!The earliest records I have of BAAP's with nods to community wishes are those of the early '80's. Prior to that, the pre & post WWII plans ignored local wishes as thoroughly as the Romans  nearly 2,000 years previously, with their ruthless driving of an east-west highway through the town.The present plan has been a long time forming, but that's the cost of widescale canvassing of local opinion at every stage.

Nigel Moore ● 6524d