Tag Archives: Great West Road

by | May 15, 2025 · 14:40

Skidmarked Donuts in the Dark at Syon Lane

In recent times, it seemed that those running Tesco on Syon Lane cared little about its neighbours and its facilities after it closed its doors.  Very little helped.

Big Tesco, Syon Lane

Often, after dark, people living at this end of Osterley and Spring Grove Ward would be subject to invasion of and noise from the northern end of the  store car park.  Revved engines, screeching wheels, burning tyres would wreak and interrupt calm and sleep of the 400+ households of afterhours North Isleworth.

Skidmarks at Osterley Tesco expansive car park

The persistence of some concerned residents raising this with councillors (sharing sound and vision footage) and its being referred to the OSG Ward Police and Hounslow Council’s Community Safety Team via the Ward Police  Panel, led to a pretty positive onsite meet, earlier this week.

Brokered by LBH Safer Communities Coordinator Tara Doyle, I also met, Ward Police Sergeant Dhillon, Tesco HQ ASB Partnerships and Community Manager, Luke Smith, Osterley Tesco Store Manager, Paul McNulty, nearby resident, Mr Catherall and OWGRA’s Barbara Stryjak.

Donuts and Good Boys. Sgt Dhillon, T Doyle, L Smith, P McNulty, G Catherall, B Stryjak.                                                                                             Photo by T Louki

By the burnt rubber marks from a recent episode, one of the many (but not extensively laid) hard plastic ramps installed following Sergeant Dhillon’s earlier intervention and a newly placed ‘Dalek’ camera, triggered to film noisy additional goings on, we discussed further ideas, not least a better barrier locking regime after closing but it’s not over, more developing.

Recently located, portable Dalek CCTV installed to capture images of transgressions within the Tesco car park

Residents witnessing ongoing incursions are encouraged to call and report on 999.

 

TL 15.5.2025

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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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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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by | August 18, 2022 · 08:23

Gillette Building Tour

Bonnington Gillette Corner Hotel 2006 unrealised proposal

When Gillette owners, Proctor and Gamble, shifted the last of the Syon Lane production line to Łodz in 2006, the 42,000 square metre site was sold to Bonnington, the Ireland based international hotel and leisure firm.  It had ambitions for an office park and a 500 bed hotel, later reduced to 300 beds then eventually none when the system of capital tanked in the late noughties and loans from the Allied Irish Bank could not be repaid.

More modern manufacturing plant used for film production

The site, is much more extensive than the three Grade II Listed elements of the Bannister Fletcher 1936 factory and office building, WFC Holden’s 1935 bank and the four separate cheeky cherubs lamp standards fronting Syon Lane.  It extends beyond Syon Lane to include the former Pernod House on its corner with Great West Road and Harlequin Avenue making up the rear where later manufacturing buildings are now used for film production.

Extensive and uninterrupted space within the Grade II listed main building

After Bonnington, the whole site was bought after 2013 by the firm involved with the former EMI plant at Hayes, the Vinyl Factory Limited.  They now say that applications to develop, extend and enhance existing film production and associated activities on the whole site are soon to be submitted to Hounslow Council, preserving the integrity of the listed elements there.

A chance discussion with Mr Matthew Rees, Hounslow Council’s Head of Planning Development, whilst visiting the former Williams Dye Works site recently, satisfied an eight year quest and yielded contact details for the Gillette Building owners.  Arrangements for a tour for Isleworth and Brentford Area Forum (IBAF) Councillors followed, made for 5 August 2022; people from Osterley and Wyke Green Residents Association and Brentford Voice were invited too.

Main staircase to be restored subject to planning

The last time I went inside Gillette’s was in 1992 on a tour with my Acton College tutor group which also coincided with the planning application for building a Tesco store on the United Biscuits factory site.  The event was an opportunity to nose, more than anything else, interesting to see the unfinished en suites on the first floor facing Syon Lane.

West facing ground floor former manufacturing hall

Planning applications are awaited but the developer has agreed to run a series of pre planning exhibitions and meetings on site in the run up to formal submission, perhaps later this year.  As a member of the Hounslow Council Planning Committee, I shall be unable to make comment once proposals are lodged.

Main building, Listed south facing elevation towards th Bank

I do know, however, that my Ward colleagues Councillors Aftab Siddiqui and Unsa Chaudri are keen that any film production enhancement at Gillette opens up valuable work and training opportunities for the people of Osterley and Spring Grove as well as other parts of our borough.  The owners are now briefed on the quality, practical learning delivered at West Thames College associated with digital film making, make up, hair and construction and we have put them in touch with college Principal Tracey Aust.

West facing elevation with Gillette Tower Clock under repair

Further reports will follow as and when.  Look out for an item on the Gillette Tower clock restoration currently taking place, coming soon.

TL 18.8.2022

 

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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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