Brent Lea to be Appropriated

Cabinet agrees to withdraw reference to long term lease from decision

A notice has been issued that Hounslow Council "intends to appropriate the Land from recreation and leisure to planning purposes to enable the erection of two temporary school buildings together with provision of a children's covered play area for the life of the temporary planning permission".

Unfortunately if you don't regularly scour the notices column of the Hounslow Chronicle you won't have seen it.

Floreat had planned to start on the archaelogical and drainage survey this Monday but have cancelled all plans until the appropriation process is finalised. After all, if they can't have the land there's no point in starting the work. However the few weeks that the appropriation process will take is probably enough to push the opening of Floreat's temporary school beyond the September 2nd start date of term.

Tuesday's Cabinet meeting also revealed that Floreat could, in years to come sell the land if it was granted a 125 year lease. Heather Cheesbrough, Assistant Director of Regeneration pointed out that any land that Hounslow would sell could have a restrictive covenant placed on it to prevent this or to stipulate financial compensation.

The Cabinet meeting was to reconsider the decision it had already made on June 16th following the call-in by Councillor Louki, who was present along with Cllr Chatt, chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Cabinet agreed to revise its decision so that it relates only to the temporary permission, removing the details of any long term lease from the decision.

There was no further clarification or responses to the many questions raised at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting, with the Leader of the Council, Cllr Steve Curran reiterating the urgent need for school places and that they "were really looking hard" for other sites and "doing everything we can".

Should members of the public or community groups wish to comment on the appropriation you must write a letter addressed to Mr Ed Palmieri, Regeneration, Economic Development and environment Directorate, Hounslow Council, Civic Centre, Lampton Road, Hounslow TW3 4DN to arrive by 5pm on 31st July 2015. Save Our Rec would appreciate a copy via soblr@yahoo.co.uk

To date...

Brentford is in need of extra primary and secondary places, and existing schools have had extra classes added where possible.

Find the planning application by visiting planning search (agreeing T&Cs, and then selecting "search planning applications") and then entering 00707/AK/P1 in the box marked Planning number.

There was a public meeting on 28th May to discuss the temporary application.

Letters from Brentford Community Council to LBH on this issue.

The temporary application was approved at Planning Committee on 4th June (see both item 4 and the addendum report item 11). Cllr Elizabeth Hughes stated that she would have voted against it had the application been for a permanent building.

The agenda, decisions and minutes from Cabinet meeting on 16th June, where the recommendations were unanimously approved.

The agenda, decisions and minutes from Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 15th July where the decision to send it back to Cabinet for review was unanimously approved. There will be a formal wording of the decision to come that is legally appropriate. The meeting was live-tweeted (scroll down).

The sequential assessment of school sites can be downloaded (scroll down to the Education heading).

The agenda, decisions and minutes from Cabinet meeting on 21st July, where the recommendations were unanimously approved.

Petition to Save Hounslow's Green Spaces on 38 degrees.

Petition to Save Brent Lea Recreation Ground on change.org

July 29, 2015