OWGRA’s response to the 2nd exhibition

OWGRA has sent a 7-page letter to the developer expressing major concerns with the developer’s plans as shown at the 2nd exhibition at the end of February 2020.  (view the letter)
 

A ‘wish list’ for the two sites has also been sent.  (view the letter).

Here are our main objections, which you might like to consider including in your response to the developer by e-mailing them to hello@syonlanefuture.com and copying them to info@owgra.org.uk:

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1. Building heights, massing and density at both sites, 17 storeys anywhere within either site, is far too tall; maximum should be no more than 4 or 5 storeys.
    

2. The mix of style and design of buildings seems to have no cohesion or pattern and some of them are plain ugly.
    

3. The proposals do not respect the character of the area; there is a lack of attempt to place the buildings within the context of the character of Osterley, Syon and Brentford.
    

4. The developments on Syon Lane do not respect existing neighbours, rather it seems an attempt to destroy what is a relatively low-rise suburban residential area by the cumulative impact of some 15 high-rise buildings.  Hounslow’s Local Plan Policy CC5 states that the borough has a number of tall buildings that do not positively contribute to townscape and their existence should not be grounds for more.
    

5. The location of some of the flats adjacent to the A4 and Gillette Corner on the Homebase site is not appropriate where pollution levels already exceed legal limits. 
    

6. The tiny visual on exhibition board no. 11 gives a very fuzzy view of what the development on the current Tesco site might look like; it looks like an attempt to hide the true size of the proposed development.
    

7. The visuals give no idea of what the development on the Tesco site might look like from afar and how it might affect sightlines of the Grade II listed Gillette building.
    

8. 1600 homes on the current Tesco site is an overdevelopment; the Local Plan Site Allocation 2 proposes 350 as a minimum, but exceeding that by a factor of over 4.5 in what is a suburban area seems to be plainly excessive.
    

9. Proximity to local heritage ignored (Grade II listed Gillette building).
    

10. Lack of amenities and strain on local infrastructure (public transport, health care, schools).
     

11. There is no information on types of housing eg family sized homes (3-4 bedrooms) vs small studio, 1 and 2 bedroom flats, floor space per home.
     

12. There is no information on proposed improvements/reconfiguration of Gillette Corner (which is already operating above capacity at peak times and is dangerous for right hand turns from Syon Lane onto the A4).
     

13. The developer suggests that the Southall Rail Link and West London Orbital Line would be completed by 2025, whereas we know that this is highly unlikely (due to lack of available funding).  There should be no major developments in this area until these rail links are implemented. 
     

14. Parking – insufficient parking is proposed for the 2 sites, especially as the current Tesco car park gets very full, especially at weekends, and there is an assumption from the developer that car ownership and traffic will reduce, which is not the case in the near to mid-term future.
     

15. Hounslow has declared a Climate Emergency.   Gillette Corner already exceeds legal pollution levels, and no mention has been made of how these will be affected by the proposed developments.  There cannot be residential units overlooking the highly polluted A4 and Gillette Corner.
     

16. All new developments in Hounslow must be carbon neutral, so we need to see the carbon calculations for these developments, both for the construction phase and for the buildings when occupied.
     

17. No information about methods of construction – it needs to be environmentally friendly and use sustainable materials ie not concrete and steel.