The Mayor of London has used his planning powers to step in and take over a major development that was rejected by Hounslow Council over fears it would have an impact on the world famous Kew Gardens.
The council refused permission for 427 new homes on the Citroen Site on Capital Interchange Way in Brentford over concerns about a negative impact on local heritage sites, including Kew.
However, the Mayor Sadiq Khan has intervened as the site as the potential to add much needed affordable homes to London’s housing stock. Indeed, the plans include 40% affordable homes of which 107 would be for shared ownership and 61 based on social rent levels.
The development would also see a new nursery built along with retail and office space in a new Opportunity Area, which has been identified as having the capacity to accommodate at least 7,500 new homes and 14,000 new jobs.
The impact on all heritage sites will be fully considered by the Mayor and his planning team, and City Hall will now work closely with the applicant, housing association L&Q, to try and boost the amount of affordable housing even further than the current levels of 40%.
‘I have been clear that I will use the full range of my planning powers to help get London building the new and genuinely affordable housing we so desperately need. This rejected application in Brentford already delivers a good number of affordable homes, but by taking it over, it gives me the opportunity to work with the housing association, L&Q, to increase the levels even further,’ said Khan.
‘I will, of course, weigh up concerns raised about the impact on nearby heritage sites with the pressing need for more new and affordable homes in London,’ he added.
The Mayor will consider the application at a representation hearing at City Hall later in the year and it is the fifth time that he has used the full range of his planning powers to take over applications to boost affordable housing.
His decisions to take over applications have already resulted in 572 more affordable homes for London including on sites at Swandon Way in Battersea, Hale Wharf in Tottenham, and Palmerston Road in Wealdston.
