A vacant West London warehouse is set to be demolished and replaced entirely with social housing, despite concerns about flood defences.
The Fraser’s Timber Merchants building in Brentford had previously been approved for demolition in a separate planning application which also provided social housing. However, due to changes to building regulations, the plans were scrapped and deemed unaffordable.
Following initial approval, negotiations between the council and affordable housing provider stalled due to these viability issues. The previous design plans included a 10-storey building, which is classified as a “higher risk building”.
This classification triggered the Health and Safety Executive Gateway 2 threshold, which imposed additional regulatory requirements and costs that made the project financially unviable for the provider. The scheme would have provided 60 flats, four more than the newly approved plans.
The site lies within Flood Zone 3a meaning there is a high probability of flooding. The Environment Agency objected to the application, arguing that the application had not demonstrated that the existing flood defences would be safe for the 100-year lifetime of the development.
Additionally, the agency typically requires a buffer zone of 16 metres from the Thames Tidal defence and eight metres from main rivers to allow for maintenance and biodiversity. The plans indicate that in some places, the building is only 3 metres from the River Brent.
These same concerns were raised in the room by Cllr Gabriella Giles, a Conservative councillor for Chiswick Riverside.
Hounslow Council acknowledged the concerns, and put forward that the flood-defence wall can be tested via a planning condition, instead of rejecting the application outright. The council also argues that a 16-metre buffer zone would not be realistic for this site.
Under the new plans, there will be 56 flats built, a reduction of four. These 56 homes will also be across one single ‘c-shaped’ block of flats reaching six storeys high.
Of the 56 homes, there will be 13-one bedroom flats, 39 two-bedroom flats, and four three-bedroom flats. The scheme has been weighted towards two-bedroom homes to meet the registered housing provider’s needs.
Six of the flats will also be wheelchair accessible. It will be an entirely car-free development, and residents will not be able to apply for a permit, however there will be parking allowed for up to six Blue Badge holders.
Over 110 letters of support were received for the development, with locals citing the need for social housing, regeneration and the need for public spaces. The central courtyard will provide 250 sqm of play space for children.
Historic England previously objected to the 10-storey tower approved almost two years ago due to its impact on Flora’s Column and Syon Park. However, this has been withdrawn due to the reduction in height.
There were 91 objections to the current scheme, and over 160 to the previously agreed scheme in 2024. Concerns were raised about overdevelopment, loss of privacy and impact on the character of The Ham.
The plans were passed by a vote of 7-1, with only Cllr Dan Bowring voting against. The application will now go before the Housing Secretary for final approval due to the Environment Agency maintaining its objection.
Philip is a Local Democracy Reporter covering Ealing, Hillingdon and Hounslow, with a focus on council decisions, housing, planning, licensing and community stories across west London.
