New Tower Block for Chiswick?

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Lend Lease development plan could include new high rise on Essex Place

The developer behind a plan to reshape a significant proportion of Chiswick High Road is going to publish details of their scheme this month. It is believed that they will include the building of another tower block.

The development of the 1.3 acre plot between Chiswick High Road, Acton Lane and Essex Place is likely to represent the biggest change to the central area of Chiswick since the war.

Lend Lease, the company who acquired the site this March, are not planning to knock down Empire House, the 11 storey blue glass fronted tower block on the High Road. This is to be converted into residential units which will have balconies overlooking Turnham Green.

There is to be a second structure nearby to the rear of Empire House fronting onto Essex Place. When we asked representatives of Lend Lease how tall this building would be they told us that this was to be decided. It is believed that the initial plans envisage it being the same height as Empire House but this will be confirmed next week when Lend Lease put the plans on public display. The developers were unable to provide us with any detailed plans for the scheme at this stage.

Prior approval decision notice has been issued for the change of use from office to residential for Empire House. Lend Lease will be able to build 62 new residential units under Permitted Development Rights.

Planning permission will be needed for the rest of the site which will include 72 additional residential units, including affordable homes, in Essex Place and Acton Lane and a new retail frontage with seven units along Chiswick High Road. Lend Lease are already working with Hounslow Council to draw up plans to be submitted for approval in the Summer.

Janet Kidner, Project Director at Lend Lease for the Chiswick High Road project, said: “Our vision is to create an innovative and sustainable development that revitalises this part of Chiswick High Road. We aim to incorporate the best principles of high quality design and create a place where people want to live, visit and enjoy.”

The area has been the subject of speculation about development for some time. In March 2012, a plan emerged which envisaged the large Sainsbury supermarket move from its current location to have a main entrance on the High Road. The site around the Sainsbury car park was to be turned into a mixed use development of apartments, retail and commercial. The project, spearheaded by property management company Invista, did not get off the ground and the plans vanished from the tatehindle web site.

There is to be a public exhibition of the initial design proposals for 408-430 Chiswick High Road at 424 Chiswick High Road on:

Thursday 5 June between 12 noon and 8.00pm
Friday 6 June between 12 noon and 6.00pm
Saturday 7 June between 10am and 4.00pm

May 29, 2014