Category Archives: Sky

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

Local stations news

At Monday’s (24.8.2020) Labour Listens event, a resident asked of progress to complete level access to the three stations in Osterley and Spring Grove Ward. This item includes updates sought from Hounslow Council’s Traffic and Transport Team

Syon Lane Station lift commissioning

Platform 2 at Syon Lane Station October 2016

The 2012 planning consent for extensive development of Sky Campus at Grant Way yielded £1m for improvements at Syon Lane Station, implicitly to improve the flow of peak use commuters and achieve step free access.

New lift and additional footbridge at Syon Lane Station August 2020

Nearly complete in March 2020, the final pieces of construction were disrupted by COVID.  Works are expected to recommence in September for up to six weeks.  An accurate handover and operation of the new lift and footbridge will be subject to Network Rail inspection; a firmer date should be available by October 2020.

Osterley Station lifts completion and commissioning

Soon after Boris Johnson became Mayor of London in 2008 he reduced the tube stations step free access programme begun by his Labour predecessor; plans for lifts at Osterley Station for the benefit of the disabled and less mobile were in the throes of approval but then abandoned.

Osterley Station, Great West Road

Johnson, however, began to reveal a proclivity to spaff Transport for London money on vanity projects such as the unrealised Garden Bridge, overheated and overpriced toy buses and that cable car from nowhere to nowhere.

Osterley Station lift on eastbound platform under construction March 2020

Following his election, new Mayor Sadiq Khan in 2017 resurrected the lifts programme. Approved and already under construction before the lockdown, the lifts, to each platform at this famous Grade II Listed building, were due to be delivered and commissioned by the end of 2020.  TfL have confirmed that all its step free programmes paused in April have not yet restarted and are expected to be opened six months after construction recommences.

Isleworth Station

Often with its own resources or by securing S106 planning gain, Hounslow Council has a track record back to the late 1980s (Hounslow West Station being the first) for improving level access to stations across the borough.

Where local funds are not identified, the council’s transport team promote the priorities of residents and councillors and bid for funds when opportunities arise.

Isleworth Station forecourt, London Road

A range of lift locations designs for Isleworth Station were developed by previous franchisee, South West Trains and have laid fallow since 2015.  Optimism, however, has been buoyed since the 2019 Department for Transport announcement that Isleworth is on the list of stations for an Access to All programme upgrade.

Isleworth Station, behind Platform 2

Although some disruption togetting this project going has occurred, Network Rail have continued to develop plans for the station and Hounslow’s transport officers maintain dialogue with them and South Western Railway to agree options for step free conversion down to London Road and nearby.

New information on our stations will be shared when available.

TL  27.8.2020

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Filed under Great West Road, London Road, Middlesex, Neighbourhoods, Northumberland Estate, Osterley, Public transport, Sky, Spring Grove

Big Planning in Little Hounslow: Local Plan Review consultation events

Hounslow’s Local Plan Review runs until 10 December 2017

 

Wednesday 1 November 2017: at Thistleworth Tennis Club, 127a Ridgeway Road North, TW7 5LX from 5.00 pm to 8.00 pm including a Workshop between 6.00 pm and 7.00 pm

Wednesday 8 November 2017: at Brentford Free Church, Boston Manor Road, TW8 8DW from 5.00 pm to 8.00 pm including a Workshop between 6.00 pm and 7.00 pm

By law, all local authorities need to have a Local Plan in place to guide council planners and developers, whether small or large, on what development proposals are likely to be acceptable.

The government’s Planning Inspectorate approved Hounslow’s Local Plan in 2015 with provisos that there would be early reviews for the borough’s West Area (Heston, Feltham, Hanworth, Cranford, Bedfont) and the Great West Corridor (Syon Lane to Chiswick Roundabout), a fair chunk of the latter in Osterley and Spring Grove Ward.

The process started almost immediately with release in December 2015 of initial consultation documents for both areas seeking comments on proposals for possible developments and associated infrastructure such as new transport links. Within these, there was a concurrent call for sites seeking nominations for any sites thought suitable for development; housing, employment, leisure or other uses.

By the closing date of that consultation, in February 2016, I submitted responses with views on both localities, for the Great West Corridor and for the West Area.

The Local Plan Review is currently at its next stage and residents are encouraged to participate and contribute their comments to help shape the final document that will be presented to the Planning Inspectorate later in 2018.

As it stands, there are a number of possible redevelopment proposals which if realised are likely to have impact in Osterley and Spring Grove Ward. These include sites such as Tesco Syon Lane (563 housing units and retail), West Cross, the former Firestone factory (827 housing units and employment) and the Gillette building (114 housing units and employment. More details on these and other locations are shown in the site allocation document.

The Great West Corridor Local Plan Review document can be found here and there is a heap of further information on these dedicated Hounslow Council website pages.

The consultation runs from Monday 23 October to Sunday 10 December 2017. Please take part and would be happy to discuss any aspects with Osterley and Spring Grove residents prior.

TL 30.10.2017

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Filed under Brentford, Council Business, Events, Great West Road, Housing, Leisure, Neighbourhoods, Northumberland Estate, Osterley, Planning, Public transport, Sky, TfL, Traffic, Wyke Green

Gillette South: Tower turned down

More than a year on the stocks and eight months since a formal proposal to build a 14 storey block on the corner of Syon Lane and Great West Road, Hounslow Council’s planners have finally turned down the application.

The site known as Gillette South

During 2016, the applicant’s agent hosted a number of exhibitions but declined to arrange, present and explain the concept and plans at a public meeting.

Following the submission of a formal planning application on 5 January 2017, I arranged a meeting at St Francis of Assisi Church Hall later that month. More than 120 residents, Hounslow Council planners and councillors but not the applicants or their agent attended the event. The occasion was previously reported here.

The application was refused for a number of reasons when assessed against current Hounslow, London and national planning policies including its impact on neighbouring properties and the setting of listed buildings as well as the lack of affordable housing.  There were more than 80 objections to the proposal.

Full details are in the planning officer’s report here and formal decision letter to the applicant here. Should the applicant decide to exercise their right to appeal this outcome it must be done by 11 February 2018.

The site has permission to be used as a car park until 30 September 2017.

TL 14.8.2017

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Filed under Great West Road, Neighbourhoods, Northumberland Estate, Planning, Reports, Sky

Former Shell Syon Gate Garage plot: Sky

Progressing the development of its HQ and movement of personnel from other locations on Great West Road, the Sky corporation is seeking stop gap staff parking.

Former Syon Gate Garage site from Gillette Corner, Isleworth

Former Syon Gate Garage site from Gillette Corner, Isleworth

Hounslow Council has received an application for a 130 space temporary car park on the long vacant former Syon Gate Garage site bounded by Northumberland Avenue, Syon Lane and Great West Road, Isleworth.

Should it receive permission, the car park would operate Monday to Friday between 7.00 and 21.00. It would be security staffed with access from Northumberland Avenue and exit on to Great West Road.

Former Syon Gate Garage site from Northumberland Avenue, Isleworth

Former Syon Gate Garage site from Northumberland Avenue, Isleworth

Documents relating to the application can be found on the council’s website but for ease of access can also be accessed from links below:

It is likely that this application will be considered at the 3 November 2016 Planning Committee and until then, comments can emailed to planningcomments@hounslow.gov.uk quoting reference 00505/AF/P26.

TL 16.10.2016

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Filed under Great West Road, Neighbourhoods, Northumberland Estate, Osterley, Parking, Planning, Sky, Traffic