Goldhawk Industrial Estate Planning Application Approved - Stowe Road Depot next? (Hammersmith and Fulham Liberal Democrats)

Hammersmith and Fulham Liberal Democrats <info@hflibdems.org.uk>

Goldhawk Industrial Estate Planning Application Approved - Stowe Road Depot next?

September 25, 2009 10:24 PM

Hammersmith and Fulham Council this week agreed to allow London and Newcastle to "redevelop" the Goldhawk Industrial Estate, replacing the 11 light industrial units on the site with 56 dwellings and 11 commercial units.

Local residents had protested that far too many homes were bring crammed into a small site, that the buildings were too large, that the density would cause traffic congestion, parking problems, noise and pressure on the local school. There were also concerns that flourishing and internationally recognised companies on the industrial estate were bring forced out of the Borough against their will, and that the plans include what are probably nonviable commercial units which will be converted to dwellings at the earliest opportunity, reducing employment opportunities in the area and the spending that these people contribute to the local economy.

The application itself has been controversial, with Residents' groups pointing to numerous failings in the quality of the application, factual errors in the officers' reports, and an undue dependence on (inaccurate) information provided by the developer in the supposedly objective reports. It also appears that in their desire to please their property developer friends, the council is ignoring its own very limited targets for affordable housing.

While the Brackenbury Residents group ponders its next move, it looks very probable that councillors are planning to replace the nearby Stowe Road Depot with another over-development of up to 100 flats.