Category Archives: Osterley

by | April 8, 2024 · 11:51

Great West Road Firestone site: Redesign proposal

A little before Christmas, the planning agent for 6 West Cross Way wrote to say that they’ll not be facilitating a tree outside the former Firestone building location as had been kindly placed by owners Legal & General in 2021 and 2022.

Proposed amendment to the former Firestone Factory site scheme

Councillors were also told to expect an application for minor amendments to the planning permission approved in November 2022.  The existing scheme, (reference P/2021/4973) which was going to be built for Tesla, currently includes a car showroom, car workshop, MOT testing facilities, offices floorspace, new vehicle access points, service yard, basement car parking, landscaping, boundary and other associated works.

Tesla has pulled out and L&G is now looking at how best to make sure this scheme is delivered.  They have decided to build it speculatively and intend to find an occupier during construction, or as soon as possible after completion.

Without a requirement to return to the Planning Committee, L&G’s agent has, under Section 73 of the 1990 Planning Act, just applied for a “non material amendment” to the existing planning permission.

Accompanying the submission and shown within this design pack, the changes sought include, reducing the size of the building, removing the basement and to reprovide outdoor parking around the more compact building.  The pastiche deco style clock has been dropped because of concerns over its maintenance.

Firestone steps railing finial

Careful integration of what was left of the heritage of the site  would remain.  The planning agent says, “L&G remains confident that the scheme will attract a high class occupier who will make a real contribution to the Great West Road … and jobs that will be created.”

Responding, I emphasised that the site should be developed rather than left part demolished.  Equally, when raised, the developer confirmed that all Grade II Listed Firestone heritage (remaining after Thatcher’s Fan Club vandalised it beyond recovery in 1980) would be protected, maintained and enhanced.  L&G reiterated that their current Design and Access Statement regarding the Great West Road frontage will be secure, planted with sufficiently mature evergreens and access to power for lighting at Christmas ensured.

It has been said that speculative developments should be built to consider the broadest interest of the market, ensuring that a suitable occupier can be found and this is what led to some amendments to the permitted scheme, “to make it as market facing as possible”.

Regretably, by Autumn 2023, Tesla changed its strategy which, in turn, led Legal & General to revise that 2022 approved scheme to something smaller; less costly to build and then rent.  Perhaps it may still happen.  Mr Musk, by then, may later want something more economical and could end up in Osterley and Spring Grove Ward after all.

 

 

TL. 8.4.2024

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Filed under Brentford, Great West Road, Middlesex, Neighbourhoods, Osterley, Planning

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by | July 9, 2023 · 15:26

NatWest Bank Closure: Protest at 10.30 am Tomorrow, 10 July 2023

NatWest Bank, bailed out by the people to the tune of £46 billion and still 39% Government owned, are using spurious statistics, poor consultation and erroneous assertions to shut down the last remaining and accessible bank between Hounslow and Chiswick.  It’s the only one with a customer car park and also located within the Council’s London Road 30 minutes free Stop and Shop parking facility.

Last bank standing: NatWest, 486 London Road, Isleworth

No amount of online, video or telephone banking can replace a human face to face physical transaction whether elderly or any other citizen within the 30% without the means, online savvy or inclination or just likes going out.

NatWest Isleworth: Elderly customer with their carer drew up to the front door to use this most accessible of bank branches

Recent pavement surveys by NatWest customer and Isleworth resident, Madhuri Kapila, show buoyant footfall at 468 London Road.  There has also been a keenness to sign this letter to letter to NatWest Head Office and, so far, 150 customers, many elderly, greatly concerned and fearful of the closure, have participated.

NatWest Isleworth: Open during convenient hours 5 days a week

Daily attendance at the branch, of late, shows around thirty customers per hour, more if ATM users are included, translating to at least 750 user per week.  NatWest profits for 2023/24 show a 50% jump to £1.9 billion in the first three months of the year; why should the company need to close a long established and well used branch operating from Freehold premises?

NatWest Isleworth Branch: Night safe

All of the many shopkeepers Madhuri has spoken to (NatWest did not reveal of having spoken to any of our traders in its public relations pieces), are greatly against the proposal.  They see the bank as an anchor business for London Road as well as a banking facility for them and everyone else.

Last Friday, Madhuri and I visited NatWest Headquarters at 250 Bishopsgate to present the collected letters but no one was available to receive them nor this additional letter to Dame Alison Rose, Group Chief Executive Officer of NatWest Bank..

Ruth Cadbury MP also wrote this letter to NatWest Bank asking for a meeting and for the closure to be withdrawn.

Recently publishing a booklet for bank branch visitors, NatWest used a mixture of pre, during and post pandemic figures, with obscure graphics, to justify their current stance.  The decision really did appear to have been made prior to any  real consultation and, responses from NatWest since seem at best repetative and standard public relations deflections but at worse, some may describe as lip service and sham going through the motions.

Please show your support in any or all of these ways:

NatWest Bank Isleworth: Please maintain the Welcome

Download, complete and immediately return this letter to Keep Nat West Bank Open via email KNWBOpen@gmail.com

Ask that the closure decision be reversed.  Email or write to Dame Alison Rose, Group Chief Executive Officer, 250 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 4AA: or email alison.rose@natwest.com and cc KNWBOpen@gmail.com

 

Monday 10 July 2023 at 10.30 am.  Join a peaceful protest against the closure outside NatWest Bank, 486 London Road, Isleworth, TW7 4DD.

Tell your friends.

Thank you.

 

TL 9.7.2023

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Filed under London Road, Neighbourhoods, Osterley, Spring Grove

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by | June 22, 2023 · 17:20

Seccombes: Insurers Authorise Rebuild

Following one of the longest tooth pulling events, Seccombes Builders Merchants Managing Director, John Seccombe has advised that, the end of discussions earlier this week between loss adjusters and insurance companies for both his company and the boy racer’s, meant that permission has been given to proceed with the reconstruction of the Syon Lane building.

Seccombes: Scaffolding up since 5.2.2023 when the poor driver lost control

Unlikely to commence before early July, Seccombes’ contractor is now discussing changes to the supporting scaffolding, up since early February, to enable safe working on and around the damaged building.

With changes, access can be created to dismantle the building in its entirety from the roof down to ground level.  It will then be possible for the scaffolding to be removed.  An assessment will then be made as to whether safe construction may begin without the tiresome traffic restrictions in place.

Seccombes: Temporary lights on Windmill Lane may be removed by the end of July

The footway here on Syon Lane is very narrow, presenting a danger to anyone working outside the wall and building.  So, following assessment and discussion with Hounslow Highways, it will be clearer as to what restrictions will be necessary during the rebuild.

Seccombes are, expectedly, cautious about offering any timescales but it is estimated that the entire rebuild could take as much as eleven weeks; Mr Seccombe will keep providing updates with any changes that happen.

Seccombes: Rebuild likely to end late Summer

The company says that they values everyone’s patience and hopes that residents and visitors appreciate that there is light at the of end of the tunnel.

 

TL  22.6.2023

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Filed under Hounslow Highways, Middlesex, Neighbourhoods, Osterley, Road works, Roads, Sky, Traffic, Wyke Green

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by | April 11, 2023 · 08:54

Syon Lane: Seccombes, Scaffolding and Signals

Since the incident of 6 February 2023, enquiries have been made on behalf of residents and updates received from the company, Hounslow Highways and the Police as to when repairs will start on the damaged building and consequential traffic delays between Great West Road and Tentelow Lane ended.

Seccombes: Intensive and robust scaffolding

Last week, the company’s Managing Director, Mr John Seccombe, advised,

“Despite repeated pleas to them [the insurers] to move as quickly as possible, the insurance process has been painfully slow and methodical, frustrating a quick resolution.  Our contractor has finally been given go ahead to start peeling back the damage on Tuesday 11 April in order to access hidden parts of our 200+ years old building.  This will ensure the structural engineers have a full understanding of the task ahead.

Seccombes: Up close building damage

“These ‘enabling works’ are critical but will lead to ultimately having the scaffolding removed.  It is still unclear as to how long this stage will take but we are sure we will finally be seeing some visible progress.  We will update you all again when the Engineers have completed these final tests and we have a working timescale.

Traffic queueing: Jersey Road at Wyke Green

Seccombes: Remnants of the boy racer’s smashed motor

Syon Lane northbound towards the Three Bridges

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Filed under Events, Great West Road, Hounslow Highways, Middlesex, Neighbourhoods, Osterley, Road works, Roads, Traffic, Wyke Green

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by | November 12, 2022 · 03:56

Local traffic surveys

As intrigued as numerous residents raising the matter with Osterley and Spring Grove councillors, inquiries were made of the council’s traffic team regarding the counting hardware appearing on roads in the southern part of the Ward.  Here’s what has been learnt so far.

Ridgeway Road: Traffic survey camera on a pole measuring bicycle and pedestrian directions.

Residents from different parts of our Ward often contact council officers and councillors about speeding and rat running, for example; Osterley Road is a regular as is Northumberland Avenue and, lately, The Grove.

All of the roads mentioned fall within the area of Spring Grove and North Isleworth that is currently under review for potential traffic reduction measures, broadly all roads to the south of A4, north of A315 London Road, west of Syon Lane and east of the Piccadilly Line.

Wood Lane: Pneumatic strip counter measuring vehicle numbers

Officers have advised that this is a multi-year project with the surveys, background and feasibility work being undertaken this financial year (to April 2023).  For the next financial year they will look to engage with councillors, residents and other stakeholders on potential intervention measures with a view to perhaps trialling any measures that looked promising.

College Road: Traffic count data box connected to traffic recording pneumatic strips.

Obviously, Ward councillors here will be maintaining a close watch on developments here and insist on clear and extensively analysed consultation on any proposals arising.

Anything new in the interim will be reported here.

TL  11.11.2022

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Filed under College Road, Neighbourhoods, Osterley, Roads, Traffic

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