Category Archives: Thornbury Road

by | June 28, 2025 · 23:02

The Limes of Osterley and Spring Grove: an epicormic ritual

Thornbury Road near Oakley Close: Big Lime epicormic growth

Occasionally, one encounters the odd bit of hate for the OSG Ward street trees.  Shedding leaves, pollen, seeds, sap and basal (or epicormic from the Greek) growth, for example.

Thornbury Road c1911

Many specimens, thriving on our roadsides, remain healthy, however.  Lots are longer term than many of us, they’ve shed leaves and sap since before we lost half our street sweepers or left our smaller motors in similar sized garages.  Trees stayed within the confines of the pits in which they were planted, and their roots would spread less.

However, we’ve got an aging population of, on the most part, well looked after street trees, sometimes appearing to get in the way, a bit dishevelled.

Thornbury Road near Oakley Close: Big Lime after epicormic removal

Early this month, pre-empting a resident’s request, I enquired of Hounslow Highways via FixMyStreet when to expect attention to the basal growth of the around 30 Lime trees on Osterley Avenue and Thornbury Road from Jersey to London Roads.  There are a further 138 of them elsewhere in the Ward; around 1,500 street Limes, in total, across the borough.

Thornbury Road Shops c1937

During the growing season, they undergo epicormic removal twice.  Timing of each visit depends on the climate and growth of the epicormic for that particular year.  The 2025 first removal is now almost complete with the second expected late August, early September, depending on the regrowth.

Osterley Avenue Lime: Epicomic gone and roots to gully works planned

Coincidentally, programmed work in Osterley and Spring Grove started the day after enquiring on 5 June.

TL  28.6.2025

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Filed under H28 bus, Hounslow Highways, Middlesex, Neighbourhoods, Osterley, Thornbury Road

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by | February 20, 2025 · 08:53

Vine Lodge: Refusal of third application for demolition

The third planning application, in as many years, to demolish and build something at Vine Lodge, Church Road, Isleworth has been refused by Hounslow Council Planning via a brief report published yesterday.

 

This latest, reference P/2024/2168 submitted in July 2024, was to replace this early 19th century gardener’s cottage with six flats.

Vine Lodge, Church Road 2024 proposal for demolition of house replacing with six flats

Among several reasons offered for refusal were that the replacement would,

  • be of poor design, incongruous within this part of the Spring Grove Conservation Area
  • appear visually obtrusive
  • create unacceptable impacts on living conditions of neighbouring properties
  • result in the demolition of a non-designated heritage asset as well as the unnecessary loss of 11 trees.

Numerous representations were again made by neighbours, residents organisations and amenity organisations.

Previous applications were P/2023/1409 in May 2023 for demolition of Vine Lodge for eight flats and P/2022/0601 of February 2022 for its demolition replaced by two three storey houses.

 

TL  20.2.2025

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by | November 26, 2024 · 07:04

The new wall at St Christopher’s Close

A number of citizens have queried the appearance of a new wall on Thornbury Road by the southbound H28 Eversley Crescent bus stop.

Newly constructed wall to Thornbury Road (pre wall Google picture, below)

Now enclosing a previously open amenity space, the land was, in fact, always part of the freehold of 42 St Christopher’s Close.

A planning application to erect the wall was submitted in February 2022, with a recommendation to approve via Planning Officers’ delegated powers.  Residents, concerned with the apparent loss of 50 years of open amenity space, asked Ward Councillor Unsa Chaudri to refer and speak on the officer report to a full LBH Planning Committee for determination by councillors. Taking place in June 2022, with residents also making a case, I argued that permission to enclose this long enjoyed and council maintained open land, within the Spring Grove Conservation Area, should be refused and this was supported when a vote was taken.

Subsequently, the applicant, as is their prerogative, lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate which, following consideration, allowed the appeal in December 2022.  The Inspector approved the application with a condition that the new wall brickwork should match that of the neighbouring Fairways development; reflecting some aspects of the 1860s Davies Estate milieu.

TL  26.11.2024

 

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by | June 4, 2023 · 08:39

Vine Lodge: Latest demolition application

A new planning application to demolish the oldest dwelling on Isleworth’s Church Road, within the Spring Grove Conservation Area, is being considered by Hounslow Council.

A previous application to build two houses, LBH planning reference P/2022/0601, was refused in March 2022, and was reported here, this latest (P/2023/1409) is for the building of eight flats.

The site for application P/2023/1409, in context

The above is an extract from a whole document showing all drawings for this proposal, accessed here.

Residents have produced this flyer highlighting their views and to encourage submission of further comment as part of the planning consultation process.  Comments can be submitted beyond the stated deadline.

TL  4.6.2023

This report has been provided for information, the author, a member of the council’s planning committee, will make no determination in advance of a hearing, should one occur.

 

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by | July 15, 2022 · 11:20

Short stay shoppers parking

Whilst the free 30 minutes ‘Stop and Shop’ parking (1 hour at South Street) has not been abandoned at London Road and Thornbury Road shopping parades, Hounslow Council has begun to remove the pay and display machines that dispense the paper stickers.

Parking advice change at London Road, Isleworth

Traders at Osterley Village on Thornbury Road, north of Great West Road first brought this to Osterley and Spring Grove Ward councillors’ attention when the signs began to go up late May 2022.  Residents and traders around London Road followed suit and OWGRA also received correspondence.

Shoppers are now asked to record their arrival on a previously downloaded mobile phone app, including the free parking period.  For the technology savvy, this would not be hard to do but our Ward does have a larger proportion of older residents, often carers, using their cars to reach local pharmacies, the launderette, supermarkets, Osterley Bookshop for a greeting card or stamps, the paper shop, Memories of India for a takeaway for example.

To an extent, one of our (retired) residents does agree with the new approach and wrote, “for the avoidance of doubt, I believe that the digital solution being adopted by the council makes sense for all except those who have less ability to access or use digital tech.”

Clarity on the new policy was sought from Mr Jefferson Nwokeoma, the chief officer whose department runs parking and were advised that a cashless system provides savings in machine maintenance and repair costs and secures the income received.  Conscious that, for some, the cashless system remains a challenge, councillors were advised that officers would provide information and communicate to enable residents to adapt to this change.

Osterley and Spring Grove Ward councillors are seeking an equitable solution which understands the demographic and some of the unique services available in our area.  The matter has been raised and discussed with council’s cabinet member for parking, Councillor Salman Shaheen.  He has asked officers to identify and work with one or two parades traders who would be able to provide an alternative free ticketing option and will get back to us.

TL  15.7.2022

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Filed under CPZ, Great West Road, Osterley, Parking, Spring Grove, Thornbury Road

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