The Planning Committee approved two applications: a mixed-use development at 250 Gunnersbury Avenue and an extension to a house at 31 Devonshire Road.

250 Gunnersbury Avenue (North Circular Road)

The committee approved an application for a mixed-use development at 250 Gunnersbury Avenue, despite receiving three objections from local residents. The application proposed the demolition of the existing office building and the erection of a new building, up to ten storeys high, providing self-storage space (Use Class B8) and flexible office/light industrial space (Use Classes E(g)(i)/E(g)(iii)).

The proposed building would achieve a 98% reduction in carbon emissions compared to the existing building, and the flexible office/light industrial space would be let at 80% of market rent, making it affordable.

The site is in the Power Road Industrial Estate, designated as a Locally Significant Industrial Site (LSIS) in the Hounslow Local Plan. The applicant argued that self-storage units are beneficial to local businesses, and provided evidence of this.

The submission evidences the benefits of self-storage in indirectly supporting local small enterprises, which play an important role within the Power Road LSIS.

The Council's report on the application acknowledged the benefits to local businesses, but noted that the development would lead to a net loss of jobs on the site, which currently provides 62 full-time jobs. To offset this, the applicant offered to make a financial contribution to training initiatives to help people find new jobs.

The applicant also proposed to reduce the number of car parking spaces on site from 21 to 8, which is in line with the London Plan's standards for this type of development. They also proposed to provide one blue badge bay, two electric vehicle charging bays, and one 'car sharing' bay.

There were a number of concerns raised by residents about the proposed development. These included:

• The building would be too tall and would dominate the surrounding buildings.
• It would increase traffic congestion in the area.
• There would be insufficient on-site parking.

The report acknowledged these concerns, but concluded that the benefits of the development outweighed the negative impacts. The report states that the building's height would be in line with other buildings in the area, and the proposed reduction in car parking spaces would be acceptable. The report also noted that a number of conditions would be attached to the planning permission to mitigate the impact of the development, such as requiring the applicant to produce a Construction Environmental Management Plan and a Delivery and Servicing Plan.

The committee voted to approve the application by a majority, subject to conditions and the completion of a Section 106 Agreement. The Section 106 Agreement will secure the financial contribution to training initiatives, as well as other benefits, such as a contribution towards the enhancement of pedestrian accessibility along Power Road.

31 Devonshire Road

The committee also approved an application for an extension to a house at 31 Devonshire Road.

The proposal was for a single-storey rear and rear infill extension to a terraced house. The extension would replace an existing part single-storey rear outrigger and infill the house's full rear lightwell to form an L-shaped layout. The extension would comply with the size limitations set out in the Council's Residential Extension Guidelines and would be subservient to the original house.

The extension would have a pitched roof, with a rear brick slip parapet wall and a pitched part structural glazed, part tiled roof to the side. It would have two large glazed rear doors and two rear drainpipes.

The Council received no objections to the proposal. The report considered the impact of the extension on the character and appearance of the surrounding area, and on the living conditions of neighbours. The report concluded that the extension would have no harmful impact on the character or appearance of the area, and would not have a negative impact on neighbours' living conditions.

The committee voted unanimously to approve the application.