Over 100 Flats Added to Third Phase of Friary Park Scheme

Campaigners condemn lack of visualisations of revised plans

The Friary Park scheme is already dominating the local skyline. Picture: Cap The Towers

July 24, 2024

Mount Anvil, the developer of the Friary Park Estate, has released details of its revised proposals for the third phase of the scheme at a public exhibition.

Permission has already given for an outline design for this last part of the project, but approval is now being sought for changes to the masterplan by HTA Design LLP that will see over 100 extra flats.

Mount Anvil says this can be achieved at the same time as increasing the green space across the development. This has partly been achieved by reducing the number of parking spaces by 55.

The main changes proposed are to a cluster of buildings which originally had one tower of 22 storeys and another of 18 storeys. This now includes four towers over 20 storeys. Although this is denser and higher than the earlier designs, it is not as big an increase in scale as some local campaigners had feared.

The developer says in its presentation material, “The proposed buildings have been re-configured to improve the space between buildings, provide better public and communal open spaces, and create more elegant buildings which are consistent with the scale and massing of the family of neighbouring buildings already in construction.”

So far 135 affordable flats have been completed in the development with another 187 under construction. 86 people, who previously resided in the estate before demolition, have moved into new flats.

If the current designs are approved, the scheme will include 1,228 flats of which 37% would be classed as affordable or 46% if measured by habitable room. 700 of these flats would be in Phase 3 compared to 576 previously approved for this part of the development. The number of ‘affordable’ units in the new design remains unchanged and none of the flats in the final stage is social housing.

Drawing in the presentation showing the heights now proposed. Picture: Mount Anvil

Mount Anvil says that these proposals will also deliver a co-designed community centre 239sqm larger than original centre, 414 sqm more play space, an increase of 40% and increased financial contributions towards local social infrastructure.

Cap The Towers, a local campaign group, has criticised Mount Anvil for the lack of material at the exhibition which would make the scale of what is being proposed clear. No computer-generated imagery was provided and there was no 3D model of the scheme as recommended by the GLA in the London Plan. The visualisations in the presentation materials only showed the buildings from a ground eye view.

The group asked the developer at the exhibition why existing 3D imagery of the development was not updated for the new scheme and no explanation was given.

Visualisation of scheme with earlier plans for Phase 3 on the right. Picture: Mount Anvil

A spokesperson for the group said, “Cap the Towers believes that is because the developer does not wish to reveal to the public just how packed with high buildings this last phase of the project will be. Where, in the image above, there were two towers in the initial plan (the second and third towers from the right), they are now proposing to build four very tall towers in that same space. Cap the Towers made the point to Mount Anvil that it was unreasonable and dishonest to consult the public without providing them with a true picture of what this final phase would look like.”

A drawing from the presentation giving some indication of the building heights. Picture: Mount Anvil

Concerns are also being expressed about the lack of amenity space in the development. According to Cap the Towers, the required amount of public open space for the part of the scheme already agreed is 43,000 square metres but only 9,000 square metres are being delivered. We have put these numbers to Mount Anvil but haven’t received a response. The campaign group’s calculations for Phase 3 shows that the changes would mean an additional 4,000 square metres would be needed but only a fraction of that has been added. It says therefore that if this application succeeds the estate would be ‘dangerously overcrowded’.

The group adds, “The question about the failure to build the right kinds of homes in the right places should really be addressed to Ealing Council: it is they who go on approving these inappropriate developments.”

The consultation on the revised plans for Phase 3 continues and you can give feedback online.