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LOCAL ISSUES - Chiswick West Letter drafted by Michael Quinn a local resident (OBJECTION LETTERS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO:)
(WITH THE FOLLOWING REFERENCE)
(A SELECTION OF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING POINTS CAN BE MADE IN YOUR OBJECTION LETTER. THESE OBJECTIONS MAKE SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO THE COUNCIL'S UNITARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN WHICH THEY ARE OBLIGED TO ADHERE TO WHEN CONSIDERING ANY PLANNING APPLICATION. YOUR LETTER SHOULD REFLECT YOUR OWN PERSONNEL OBJECTIONS AS THIS WILL BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAT EVERYONE SENDING A STANDARD LETTER. ) * I am amazed that Hounslow Council will even entertain a proposed 10 storey development near residential streets never mind a 30 storey tower on the Chiswick High Road, which contradicts what Hounslow is trying to achieve in their Unitary Development Plan; which is to enhance the character of areas. * After reading the planning application in some depth I detail below where I consider that it contravenes Hounslow's Unitary Development Plan. * Unitary Development Plan 2001. P1/012, 5.4 (p.29) This
provision states that polices and proposals
in the UDP are targeted at improving social
infrastructure, community facilities and raising
the quality of life for residents. The proposed
Chiswick West Development does not improve
social infrastructure or raise the quality
of life for residents, in fact it has the reverse
effect. C/025, C.5 (p.36) To provide and facilitate the provision of sports and leisure facilities, which are accessible to all members of the community. Having read the plans the proposed health club and restaurant are to be for the use of hotel guests and residents of the Chiswick West Development, hardly all members of the community. T1 (p.37) To
promote sustainable development within the
Borough through integrating transport and land
use polices in order to reduce the need to
travel. T5 (p.37) To create a safe, healthy and pleasant environment, particularly in respect to air quality, by promoting measures, which seek to minimise the impact of traffic on the environment. The developers have stated within their application that concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, benzene, 1,3 - butadiene and PM10 were predicted at two properties near the development site. This is hardly a safe, healthy and pleasant environment in fact it is potentially lethal and I will address this point latter in my letter. IMP/006 (p.47) This provision states that all new developments should contribute to improving the natural and built environment for the benefit of all those who live, work and visit the Borough. Perhaps the developers can explain how the Chiswick West Development meets the criteria of this clause. IMP/037 (p.62) This
provision states that applicants will need
to demonstrate in areas, that proposed developments
are sustainable. It is quite obvious with the
completion of the Chiswick Business Park and
other office developments currently being undertaken
a further development the size of Chiswick
West could not be sustained by the infrastructure
to the area no matter what improvements the
developers consider that they can achieve.
In fact Gunnersbury station could potentially
become a death trap with the number of people,
which would utilise it. IMP.6.1 (iii) (p.67) The provision of buildings and / or facilities to satisfy the need for additional educational resources which the development may generate. Could the developers please explain how they meet this clause as the local schools are already oversubscribed? IMP6.1 (vii) (p.37) The provision of childcare and play space facilities. Where do the developers consider that the children of those people living in this development play considering that Hounslow already regard this area of Chiswick to be suffering from public open space deficiency (See Map ENV-N1 contained within the UDP). 6.4 ENV-B-2 (p.77) To protect and enhance the built environment from the adverse implications of development. The proposed development for Chiswick West definitely does not meet the requirements of this clause. ENV.B/002 (A1) Relates well to its site and the scale, nature, height, massing, (p.105) character and use of the adjacent townscape. The only way the Chiswick West Development could meet the requirements of this clause was if it was built in Canary Wharf and not Chiswick. ENV.B/002 (A2) Respect the proportion of existing neighbouring buildings. (p. 105) The proposed development is out of proportion to the surrounding residential dwellings. ENV.B/003 (A5) Ensure adequate daylight and sunlight reaches adjoining (p.105) properties and minimise any detrimental impact of adjoining properties. The proposed development will cut out natural light and sunlight to my property and it in no way minimises any detrimental impact on my property in fact the proposed development has a major detrimental impact on my property. Furthermore the developers even state within Section 8.07 of their planning application that the new office development will effect the daylight to properties in Silver Crescent. However the developers consider this is what people should suffer in what they consider to be benefits afforded by the comprehensive redevelopment of the site. I would be grateful if someone could outline the benefits to myself. ENV.B/008 (B) New
development and the uses being proposed should
respect ENV.B/017 (p.107) This provision states that planning permission will normally be refused for the erection of buildings which significantly exceed the height of their surroundings in or where it would result in significant harm to residential areas. On this provision alone Hounslow Council should reject the planning application for Chiswick West. ENV.B018, 5.4 This
provision states that Hounslow is characterised
by low rise (p.108) development of 2 and 3
story residential properties, with many of
the taller buildings being out of character
and in order to maintain the character of Hounslow,
it is considered that high buildings are inappropriate.
ENV.B/021 (p.111) States that any new development should be designed to create a safe and secure environment and reduce the opportunity for crime. In light of the disaster on the 11th September in New York, how does building a 30-storey tower in a residential area so close to Heathrow Airport create a safe and secure environment? ENV.B022 (p.111) To
protect and enhance the built environment from
the adverse implications of developments, particularly
views. The building ENV.P1.7 (p.140) The
plans of the Chiswick West Development are
not very detailed therefore please advise if
the effect of lighting the proposed development
has been analysed as in my opinion the lighting
of these buildings will be intrusive to dwellings
in the immediate vicinity of the proposed development. ENV.P/024 (p.145) States that all residential developments above 19 units require communal recycling facilities. I did not see anything in the Chiswick West planning application referring to this requirement. POLICY
E.4.2 (P.169) POLICY E.5.1 (P.169) This policy refers to proposals for new hotels and states the density of schemes are to be sympathetic in design terms to the surrounding area and that there is no significant disturbance to the neighbouring area in terms of traffic and parking. The provision of a hotel at Chiswick West does not meet the requirements of this clause. H/024 (p.182) This provision states that the Council expects 50% of all new units to be affordable housing. Chiswick West Development does not meet this requirement. POLICY H.4.4 (P.192) This
provision states that the Council will normally
require that children's formal and informal
play space is provided which is reasonably
related to the scale of the proposed residential
development. POLICY C.3.2 (P.212) This
provision refers to new health facilities and
stases that the proposal should not have a
detrimental effect on local amenity, e.g. an
increase in traffic, car parking or noise.
By proposing a health care centre and office
block at the top of Silver Crescent with the
entrance to the premises in Silver Crescent
and traffic lights being installed at the top
of Silver Crescent, it would seem quite obvious
that this development has a major detrimental
effect on local amenity. T/009 (P.251) This provision states that planning permission will not be granted should the level of current or planned public transport accessibility and / or the impact on traffic congestion and the environment be considered considerable. On the basis of this provision planning permission should not be granted as the impact on traffic congestion and the environment would be considerable if Chiswick West Development was allowed to proceed. APPENDIX 1, 2.1.1 This appendix states that many parts of Hounslow already suffer from a poor acoustic environment and because the ambient noise level of an area already exceeds national or international criteria it should not be regarded as a licence for allowing even more noise. This provision also states it is the aim of Hounslow Council to reduce as far as practicable noise from sources over which it has some control. The council has a considerable amount of control in deducing noise due to the Chiswick West Development, refuse planning permission. APPENDIX 2, ITEM 2 The
development does not adhere to this provision
in so far as it states that a distance of at
least 21 meters is recommended between the
windows of premises that give light and outlook
to rooms normally occupied during the day.
The proposed development on Silver Crescent
is not 21 meters from residential dwellings. The
developer of Chiswick West does not intend
to allocate any car parking spaces for the
affordable housing units, which contravenes
Hounslow's proposed standards as set out in
Appendix 4.
i) Clause 2.7, page 9 of the UDP refers to the Regional Planning Guidance for the South East, which sets out that one of the key objectives for the region is, sustainable development and environmental improvement, one can hardly say that this applies to the proposed development of Chiswick West. ii)
As stated within the UDP The London Planning
Advisory Committee has drawn up strategic planning
advise for London with two of its visions of
London being 4) I do not consider that the plans are in sufficient detail so as the full extent of the Chiswick West Development can be assessed. Having read the planning application in some detail I would also raise the following points in relation to the various sections within the planning application. Section
4 - Environmental Impact Analysis
The University of Bristol states that the vertical recesses in the 30-storey tower are capable of causing significant wind related nuisance to pedestrians at ground level a situation that I think the council would agree is unacceptable. Section 8.11 - Air Quality As
advised previously within this letter the developers
have stated that concentrations of nitrogen
dioxide, carbon monoxide, benzene. 1,3 - butadiene
and PM10 were predicted at two properties near
the proposed development site. i)
Nitrogen dioxide - Effects of exposure to nitrogen
dioxide can be chronic and / or acute.
Finally within the planning application there is a section attempting to justify how the proposed Chiswick west Development meets the requirements of the UDP in fact it states : "The proposal has been examined against prevailing and emerging policies and it is concluded that it is broadly consistent with these policies." It is quite obvious that the proposal is not consistent with prevailing and emerging planning policies and therefore should be rejected.
Spokesman for Developer Urges Residents to View Plans Before Deciding Comment on this issue on the Chiswick Discussion Forum Transport Plans for Chiswick Business Park Your local Council Representatives
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