Ashchurch Residents Celebrate Council U-Turn

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Development at 282 Goldhawk Road will not go ahead as planned

Ashchurch Residents Association are celebrating after being told that plans for a development at 282 Goldhawk Road are being abandoned.

The association have fought a long running campaign against the development, which would have seen 66 homes in high density, four storey homes built on the site of a disused care  home.

On December 16, the scheme, by developers Places for People was approved by Hammersmith and Fulham Council's planning committee despite protests and a petition from the association and other residents of the Starch Green Conservation Area.

The residents vowed to fight on and this week were surprised and delighted to receive an email from Nick Johnson, chief executive of H&F Homes, telling them that the plans will "not be progressed" because of the difficulty of addressing their concerns.

He also said that the plans will now be changed completely before going through another public consultation.

"We are very happy," says the Ashchurch Residents Association's Maria Doulton. " We have been in  constant touch with the council, but this decision has come as a complete surprise. It is nice to know that they have been listening to us."

Among resident' objections to the development were its "Mediterranean" appearance, which it said was not appropriate within a conservation, the lack of provision of housing for rent, its overbearing height and density and the destruction of three mature trees.

In his email to residents, Mr Johnson said: "It is proving more time-consuming to resolve the many concerns raised by residents than we would have hoped. You will be re-assured, however, to know that we are now in active discussion with the possible developer, Places for People, to change the scheme completely in order to respond fully to the issues raised by residents.

"The current scheme will not be progressed, and I can confirm that you will be very fully consulted on the revised opportunities before any decisions are taken."

Residents however remain cautious about future plans. " We don't see this as a victory," says Maria. " It is just the next phase in our campaign.

The decision comes before an event called Love Your Street, which comes to Starch Green, on the corner of Goldhawk and Askew Roads, on Saturday June 26, from 11am till 5pm. As part of the London Festival of Architecture, West London architects will literally set up camp, with a drop-in tent where the local community wil be invited to share their ideas for improving the area. You will find full details of this event on our calendar.

 

June 23, 2010