Green Light for Massive Bollo Lane Development |
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Ten towers including one of 25-storeys will dominate local skyline Visualisation of how Bollo Lane would look on completion of development The huge development on Bollo Lane has been approved by a virtual meeting of Ealing Council’s planning committee this Wednesday night (20 January) despite over 600 objections being made to the scheme. The committee voted in favour by 10 votes to 3 after, controversially, councillors from local wards were refused permission to address the meeting. According to the Liberal Democrat opposition group, no site visits were made by the committee before the vote was made. The project by TfL will include 10 tower blocks and stretches from Acton Town station to the 25 storey Bollo Brook House at the Chiswick end of the development. The building will be by far the tallest in the Chiswick area. The scheme, which is the largest to date undertaken by the transport body, will include 852 flats. The affordable component will consist of a combination of units available at a range of affordable rents, such as discounted market rent and London Affordable Rent, and shared ownership properties. The masterplan, designed in collaboration with architects HOK and East and engineers Mott MacDonald, covers a 3.6 hectare site on a long stretch of land next to the railway tracks. Liberal Democrat Southfield Councillor Gary Malcolm said: “The Labour-run Planning Committee heard many reasons why the ten tall towers - one 25 stories high - were not appropriate. Many cited the change of character to Chiswick and the overdevelopment in the area. Liberal Democrats also feel that the Labour Council are allowing schemes that are against their own policies to ensure that buildings are carbon neutral. The planning process is deeply flawed. We will continue to fight for the residents' corner.”
Jonathan Cornelius, Head of Property Development at TfL, said,“It is fantastic news to get the go ahead for our plans at Bollo Lane in Acton Town. The proposals have been designed to reflect the area’s heritage and context, such as the Grade II-listed station next to it, and will bring hundreds of much-needed homes to this part of London. “The scheme has also been designed to benefit the local community with welcoming green spaces, improvements to pedestrian and cycling facilities and new commercial opportunities for local businesses. Securing this latest green light at planning committee is an important milestone as it is the largest site on which we have secured planning ourselves. We will shortly be approaching the market for a partner as we strive to deliver these homes – including hundreds of new affordable homes – as fast as we can.” TfL are planning phased construction over five years with work beginning at each end of the site and working towards the middle. Originally it was hoped that construction could have started this Spring but the project has been delayed due to the coronavirus.
January 21, 2021 |