Thank you for kicking this thread off Andrea, and to Kath for making available the notes of the meeting - if I'd realised you were going to put them up I wouldn't have needed to do mine, on my iPad at the meeting. So Yes I was there - to listen, as all Councillors were doing. I wasn't there to make a speech. Those of us who sit on the planning committee will be making the final decision (unless of course Eric Pickles takes that right away from us), so we cannot be seen to prejudge prior to the application coming to us some months from now.Being at the meeting was really helpful to see the strength and breadth of views. People also raised important points that I would never have thought of - just one being the acoustic effect of aircraft noise in the lanes - all of which need to be considered thoroughly.This is the beginning of the process, not the end, there is a lot of work to be done by the Council's planning team to assess the application, as Cathy Gallagher said. There will be modifications in the light of that,the views of residents, amenity societies and other consultees - and there will be further consultation on those modifications.On Watermans, Ballymore have promised to make space available on Phase 2, but we have no details on that at this point.On the Town Centre Manager - Patricia is working incredibly hard spending the Mayor of London's Outer London Fund money awarded to Brentford and Hounslow Town Centres. (It's not available for other purposes, and Patricia is not tasked with the type of TC role that the Chamber rep perhaps alluded to.) This means she is: co-ordintating the events this summer with the High Street Steering Group, supporting traders on their business plans, implementing shop front improvements, and developing the project plan for the physical improvements of the canal link and high street. There will be public consultation on the plans for these early next year. It is clear, that if and when the south side gets developed, we would need an active town management strategy to ensure the 2 sides knit together and the whole High Street has a clear USP and is viable.Meanwhile, please could anyone with an interest in the future of Brentford, who hasn't done so already, make their views known about the application to planningcomments@hounslow.gov.uk and copy in your local Councillors.
Cllr Ruth Cadbury ● 4641d