'Shambolic' Meeting Narrowly Approves Ham Wharf Plan
Sixty 'affordable' waterside flats gain approval
A visualisation of the project viewed along the River Brent. Picture: AVR London
July 12, 2024
A meeting of the Hounslow Council Planning Committee descended into farce this Tuesday (9 July) during the voting process on the application (P/2023/3014) for a development on Ham Wharf.
In the event it was determined that councillors had decided by a single vote to approve two buildings of ten storeys and six storeys that would contain 60 flats by the River Brent.
All of the units would be classed as affordable with 24 social rented units and 36 intermediate units with one studio, 15 one-bedroom, 38 two-bedroom and 6 three-bedroom units.
The development will be ‘car-free’ which means, residents will not be eligible for permits to park on local streets except for 2 blue badge parking spaces.
The developer also was given permission to demolish the Fraser’s Timber building and associated warehousing. The existing site of 1,622 sqm comprises an industrial type 2 / 3 storey warehouse building with a service yard. It is bounded by the River Brent to the south and the east, the Ham to the north and residential properties to the west. A number of houseboats are moored along the River Brent in front of the planned development.
A visualisation of the project viewed along the Augustus Close. Picture: AVR London
Having originally been submitted in 2022, the designs of the buildings had been changed in response to feedback from planning officers earlier this year and a second consultation was carried out .
Councillors on the committee voted six to five with support for the plan led by deputy chair Rhys Williams. Councillors opposed to the plan said the height and massing of the buildings were not compliant with the borough’s Local Plan. The borough planning officer was recommending approval of the plan on the basis of the delivery of much needed housing and due to the plan still being a draft version.
A visualisation of the project viewed from the Ham. Picture: AVR London
It took an extended length of time to determine the result with queries over which councillors were allowed to take part. One was excluded as a result of arriving late to the meeting. The council’s own Legal Officer described the proceedings as shambolic. The handling of the vote has led to calls for the Planning Committee Chair, Cllr Pritam Grewal to stand down.
Ham Wharf as it is now showing buildings to be demolished
Barbara Stryjak, campaign co-ordinator of local residents’ group OWGRA said, “The quality of chairing in the London Borough of Hounslow is generally not good and is deteriorating. The Chairman of the Planning Committee needs to be replaced immediately. OWGRA submitted a Code of Conduct complaint to the Council following his poor chairing of a meeting earlier in 2024. We also witnessed poor chairing of a Licensing Panel meeting earlier in 2024 and submitted a complaint. Do these people not get any training in how to chair meetings? Is their performance monitored, and if they are poor at chairing they should be replaced immediately.”
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