Reynard Mills Planning Appeal Result

The result of the Planning Inquiry into the proposed redevelopment of Reynard Mills was announced in March 2013.  The excellent news is that both the Secretary of State and the Planning Inspector endorsed Hounslow Council's refusal of the developer's second scheme for Reynard Mills.  While the Inspector was only asked to consider scheme two, many of the criticisms in his report could also apply to scheme three, the slightly smaller scheme which the developer submitted to Hounslow Council while the appeal on scheme two was in progress.

The Inquiry result may have a wider significance than just locally.  The London Forum of Amenity and Civic Societies put an article on its website (click on www.londonforum.org.uk/updates.php and page down or search for Appeal Refusal for Brentford Site) drawing attention to some of the points in the findings especially the importance of the London Plan's policies for housing density and for context sensitivity.

The Secretary of State's letter and the full report are available (in one PDF) on the government's website.  The letter section at the beginning is worth a look.

Scheme three is for 229 flats and houses for 831 new residents, with most of the residents being accommodated in five- and six-storey tower blocks.  This proposal is also a massive and out-of-character overdevelopment of the site.

At present we are waiting to see if the developer will proceed with scheme three - which EFRA would oppose - or withdraw it and submit a replacement application to address the concerns in the Inquiry Report.