Call For Public Show Of Force At Chiswick Curve Enquiry

Local group says 'precious heritage' at risk if there is public apathy

The planned tower viewed from Chiswick Roundabout

A prominent local campaigner has called for Chiswick people to turn up in their droves to the forthcoming Public Enquiry on the 32-storey Chiswick Curve.

Marie Rabouhans, chair of the West Chiswick & Gunnersbury Society has appealed for local residents to set time aside to turn up saying that our "precious heritage" is at risk if the development goes ahead.

"The public needs to let it be known how strongly they feel about the matter. If it goes ahead it could open the floodgates to all sorts of tall buildings. For example, we know Lendlease is selling Empire House so what's to say the new owners would not seek to make it even higher?"

Starbones, the developer of the Chiswick Curve is appealing against Hounslow Council's refusal of the 32-storey building and the media screens.

The Public Inquiry will begin at 10 am on Tuesday, 12 June 2018 at Brentford Free Church, Boston Manor Road, Brentford, TW8 8DW. It is expected to last four weeks. You can read more about it here.

For weeks one and two, Hounslow Council, with a full legal team and expert witnesses, will present its case for turning the application down.

This will be followed by the Rule Six parties, including Historic England, The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, and the Kew Society. The local groups, including the West Chiswick & Gunnersbury Society (WCGS), Strand on the Green Residents Association, will then have an opportunity to put their case.

Starbones, the appellant, will present its case in the third week, followed by the closing submissions in week Four. There are two parts to the appeal, the first is against the planning refusal, and the second is against refusal for the advertising.

"This Public Inquiry is immensely important for the future not only of this part of the borough of Hounslow but also, more generally, of West London. The outcome will set the scene for other developments in the area. What is at stake is our precious heritage, the character and context of our neighbourhoods and the quality of our lives and those of future residents.

"Please attend as much of the Inquiry as you can; your support is especially requested on Days 1 and 2 (Tuesday 12th June and Wednesday, 13th June), when the Society and other resident groups speak on Day 7* (Thursday 21st June) and for the Closing submissions on Day 13* (Wednesday 4th July).

The Chiswick Curve from Strand on the Green

The appeal will be decided by Inspector Paul Griffiths and a report will be compiled for the Secretary of State.

The borough’s planning committee unanimously voted to refuse permission in January 2017. A report by the planning officers concluded that the plan would cause ‘substantial harm.’ They recommended rejection due to the impact that the building would have on a number of local heritage sites particularly Kew Gardens. It also said that the large structure would be "at odds with the wider urban and historic character of the area" and criticised the design saying it was not of the highest quality.

Brentford East is facing plenty of developments already, with 910 flats in Lionel Road development, a potential 425 flats on Citroen garage site, the empty devlopment site on Capital Interchange Way and 171 flats on Parkview.

The developer had already confirmed that they were appealing against refusal of an application to build three large digital advertising hoardings at the site.

The Curve from Kew Bridge

The Curve outside Gunnersbury station on Chiswick High Road

A view from the A4

May 21, 2018