Bollo Lane Tower Blocks Given Green Light

Flats and student accommodation to be built in two buildings

CGI of the Colville Road student block (left) and the Bollo yard residential building viewed from Stirling Road(right). Picture: Hawkins Brown

October 26, 2023

Two new developments have been approved close to Bollo Lane at an Ealing Borough planning meeting this month (19 October).

The taller building will be a 20-storey tower block on the former Chiswick Auctions site at the corner of Stirling Road and Colville Road. It will include 429 purpose-built student flats with some light industrial space at the lower levels as well as a roof top garden, shared social spaces, a gym, a cinema and a games room.

This tower will not be as tall as the nearby Bollo Brook House development which will be 25 storeys high when constructed.

Permission has also been given to knock down the two storey industrial buildings at 67-81 Stirling Road to build an 11-storey residential building with light industrial and warehousing space on the lower floors which would have its frontage onto Bollo Lane. This development would be named Bollo Yardand will include 95 flats of which 38% by habitable room would be classed as affordable.

Both new buildings have been designed by architects Hawkins Brown.

CGI of the Bollo Yard development viewed from Bollo Lane. Picture: Hawkins Brown

A document submitted with the planning application claims that the number of students living in the South Acton area has increased by 48% since 2015 and that there is no purpose-built accommodation in the vicinity. It is argued that this provision would reduce the number of students living in private rented accommodation and increase the availability of housing for families.

Planning permission had been granted last April (214611FUL) for two similar designs but with the residential proportion in the taller tower not given over to students.

A report prepared by borough planning officers for the meeting concluded that the proposals were for ‘well-designed buildings which would uplift the local area’.

Joel Holland Turner of the planning department presented the findings to the meeting and said his department concurred with the developer’s view that student accommodation was in short supply in the area.

Mr Holland Turner recommended that the committee grant consent for the application, subject to conditions, the completion of a section 106 legal agreement and stage II referral to the Greater London Authority.

Mr Neil Sheppard, an objector to the development, made a representation to the Committee arguing that the building was too tall and in contravention of the Acton Gardens Master Plan, which required the height of buildings to be commensurate with local buildings, many of which were around 6 to 8 storeys tall. He also argued that there was not the necessary local facilities or infrastructure to support a rise in population in the area.

Mr Harry De Lotbiniere, on behalf of the applicant, pointed out that the proposals were amendments to a scheme approved in 2021 which economic, technical and regulatory changes had rendered undeliverable. He said the application was part of the wider context of Hawkins/Brown masterplan for the area, which was a phased mixed-use re-development of the surrounding area, encompassing 10 sites. He reinforced the point about student accommodation saying there were five students for every student room in the borough.

Councillors were informed that couriers to the development would be told to avoid using Bollo Lane to access the developments as this was a busy road.

After asking further questions and receiving assurances from the planning officer that any harm caused by the height of the buildings was within the bounds of acceptability, the councillors on the committee voted to approve the scheme.

Occupation of the student units will not be permitted until the affordable units were finished and ready to be occupied.