Plans Revised for Use of Ferry Quays By Rowing Club
Amendments include more attractive screening for facilities
The site of the rowing club at Ferry Quays. Picture: Team Keane
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The application by a rowing club for retrospective planning permission for use of a site in Ferry Quays has been an amended in an attempt to ease through approval.
Council planners determined that the application should be approved and it was due to be considered at a borough planning committee. However, it is understood that, given the level of local opposition, it was felt that some amendments needed to be made to ensure that councillors would give the proposal the thumbs up.
New documents have been submitted to the council in relation to the application which appear aimed at giving the site a more attractive appearance. Bamboo screening with planters is to be placed at one end of the site and two tents would be put up as an equipment and rigger store. A metal frame structure has been added over which an awning can be placed when required.
The changes seem designed to reduce the visual impact of the use of the site.
Team Keane was started in 2013 by Paul Keane with the intention of broadening access to rowing. Team Keane Sculling School, which is run from the site 30 metres south east of the Ferry Quays development, is a registered charity.
In its original application the club said that prior to its arrival the site was mainly covered with overgrown shrubbery and suffered from littering issues and was therefore an under-utilised previously developed site. It added that the wharf area remains predominantly accessible for public use.
Team Keane Water Sports Club which incorporates all paddle-sport related activities (i.e. rowing, kayaking and canoeing) operates at other sites in Brentford and Chiswick. Team Keane uses charitable funding to support community projects, including athlete sponsorship and hardship funding.
Objectors to the application claimed that the presence of the club restricts access to the river and has increased noise and litter. There have been complaints about the lack of notice and consultant when the club took over the site and it has been suggested that the 5.30am start time for activities will be disruptive for residents.
Borough planners previously recommended that a temporary two year consent agreed with the applicant to ensure site is redeveloped in line with Legal Agreement to provide Boathouse in the long term should be ratified and that a 6am start time should be imposed.
The application reference is P/2021/1693.
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December 3, 2021
