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Khan clashes with council to approve L&Q planning application
London mayor Sadiq Khan has used his planning powers to reverse a council’s decision to refuse a planning application for 400 new homes.
In February, Hounslow Council refused planning permission for the development because of concerns about the impact on historic buildings nearby Kew Gardens.
The mayor, however, ‘called in’ the scheme and eventually accepted it after the developer, London’s largest housing association, L&Q, agreed to increase the percentage of affordable homes on the site from 40% to 49%.
These homes will include shared ownership homes and homes for what City Hall called rent levels “based on social rent”.
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L&Q will also contribute £30,000 towards improvements to nearby Gunnersbury Station under the terms of the application.
At the time Hounslow Council rejected the scheme, it included only 40% affordable housing, a figure which was increased following Mr Khan’s intervention.
Now, 441 new homes are set to be built on the site of a former Citroën car dealership in Brentford, 218 of which will be affordable.
Under the new plans, if a building is not “well underway” within two years, L&Q could be forced to provide further affordable homes.
Stuart Miller, regional managing director (North) at L&Q, said: “We are delighted with the Mayor of London’s decision to approve this development and his recognition of the significant contribution it will make both towards Hounslow and London’s affordable housing targets. It will deliver 441 much-needed high quality homes across a range of tenures including 50% being genuinely affordable. We look forward to continuing to work with the GLA to deliver affordable homes in Brentford and across London.”
The mayor said: “This scheme shows how we can unlock the potential of an underused site to build more of the genuinely affordable homes Londoners so urgently need. I’m clear that to fix the capital’s housing crisis government must play its part, but we can make a difference now by ensuring developments include more genuinely affordable housing.
“I have carefully considered the impacts of these plans – particularly the effect on historic buildings in nearby Kew Gardens – and have concluded that the benefit of delivering more than 400 homes, including 218 genuinely affordable homes, justifies granting permission.”
Steve Curran, leader of Hounslow Council, said: “As with all applications, the proposal for the Citroen site on Capital Interchange Way, Brentford, was reviewed by our planning officers. Following his call-in of the planning officers’ decision to refuse the application, and subsequent public hearing, the Mayor decided to approve the scheme, and we respect his decision.
“We also share the Mayor’s commitment to provide more low cost social housing, not only to meet the target in Hounslow but in the rest of London, and will continue to work with the Mayor to ensure we provide the best possible housing for the residents of the Borough.”
Mr Khan held public hearings on 20 July and visited the site on 22 August as part of his decision-making process.
He has intervened like this on numerous occasions in the past, often increasing the percentages of affordable housing to be provided on site.
The mayor also intervened last year in Barnet to reject a regeneration plan from the council due to a “completely unacceptable” net loss of 257 social homes.
Update: at 12.42 no 24.8.18 This story was updated to include comments from Hounslow Council and L&Q.
