Anti-Tesco/Homebase Development Petition Taken To Michael Gove
Campaigners hand deliver document to the Ministry
Campaigners with the petition at the Ministry. Picture: OWGRA
Opponents of the plans for two large linked developments near Gillette Corner have hand delivered a petition to Michael Gove, the Minister responsible for housing.
It was the second attempt to make their case against the Tesco/Homebase development by visiting the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Previously they had arranged to deliver the petition on the day of a Cabinet reshuffle and were informed in advance by civil servants that they should rearrange their protest. Later in the day, the previous Housing Minister, Robert Jenrick was sacked.
There was no such problem this Monday (27 September) with the document handed over for the attention of the Secretary of State.
Mr Gove now has to decide whether or not to ‘call-in’ Hounslow Council’s decision to approve the developments. This is the last hope for those opposed to the schemes as the Mayor of London has already given his approval.
At the same time local Conservative candidates for next year’s council elections in Osterley and Spring Grove have written to Michael Gove to request he uses his powers to call-in the proposals for review.
The letter, signed by all three Conservative candidates for the ward, Sukhy Bahia, Jason Harcourt and Maneesh Singh, stresses that hundreds of local residents and community groups have raised objections to the proposals, which would see the Tesco store relocated to the current Homebase site and the current Tesco site turned into tower blocks up to 17 storeys tall.
“We have written to the new Secretary of State as we believe these proposals fall well short of what could be considered appropriate plans for redevelopment in the area,” said local Conservative candidate Jason Harcourt, who grew up and lives in the area. “Central Government call-ins over inappropriate planning decisions are not without precedent, and we hope that Michael Gove will side with Conservative candidates, local residents and community groups to oppose this proposal.”
Maneesh Singh, Sukhy Bahia and Jason Harcourt
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said that it has issued a direction preventing Hounslow from issuing a final decision on these applications, so ministers can consider whether to call them in adding that this in no way indicates whether the applications are likely to be called in or not.
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October 1, 2021
