This meeting was about making decisions on two planning applications. The first application was to vary the conditions on the construction of 473 homes on the site of the former Homebase in Isleworth. The second was for the erection of 71 homes on the site of Units 5-6 Victory Business Centre in Hounslow South.

Redevelopment of Homebase Site, Syon Lane, Isleworth

The most significant item on the agenda was the request to vary the conditions of the planning permission granted for the redevelopment of the former Homebase site on Syon Lane, Isleworth. The original permission granted in December 2023 was for The demolition of existing building and car park and erection of buildings to provide residential units, a replacement retail foodstore, with additional commercial, business and service space, and a flexible community space, and ancillary plant, access, servicing and car parking, landscaping and associated works. The site is also allocated in the emerging Hounslow Local Plan for a mixed use development.

The report pack proposed making the following changes to the original permission:

• Provision of a second staircase
• The addition of one storey to Block D and Block E
• Minor increase to the footprint of all residential buildings across the podium level
• Amendments to the housing mix, to comply with the Council Policies, including an increase to the proportion of 3-bed homes within the market tenure
• Improvements to façade treatment
• Marginal increase to the GIA[^2] of the Retail Store (c.9sqm)
• Marginal reductions to the community space (c. 19sqm) and flexible retail floorspace (c. 13sqm)
• Increased residential cycle parking space (27 cycle spaces)
• Increased podium amenity space (c.152 sqm)
• Amendments to landscaping across the public realm and at the podium level

The report pack stated that the changes were being made for the following reasons:

• To comply with the Building Safety Act, which requires new residential buildings over 18m in height to have two staircases
• To improve the design of the scheme, such as enhancement of the appearance of the building, increasing amenity space, improving carbon offset and improving the landscaping along the ground floor public realm.
• To take the opportunity to increase the number of 3-bedroom homes in the scheme

The report pack concluded by recommending that the application to vary the conditions be approved subject to conditions and the completion of legal agreements.

There were 27 responses received from members of the public during the consultation on the application. Objections related to the scale and massing of the buildings, the housing mix, the increase in traffic, and concerns about the impact on the environment.

Redevelopment of Units 5-6, Victory Business Centre, Fleming Way

The second item on the agenda was an application for the erection of a six-storey residential block containing 71 self-contained flats on the site of Units 5-6, Victory Business Centre in Hounslow South. The application followed an earlier prior approval application for 24 flats on the same site, which was approved in August 2024.

The report pack noted that The site itself and Fleming Way Trading Estate are allocated as a singular Locally Significant Industrial Site. and that the site was allocated for a minimum of 6,980 square metres of industrial floorspace in the emerging Hounslow Local Plan.

The report pack included the applicant's argument that the proposal should not be considered to sterilise the site from delivering the site allocation because the required floor space could be provided by existing and vacant units elsewhere in the allocation.

The report pack also included an assessment of the impact of the proposal on noise levels from plant equipment at nearby industrial units. This concluded that the noise generated would not be significant, but recommended imposing a condition requiring details of screening to protect future residents from noise.

A Financial Viability Assessment submitted with the application concluded that it would not be viable to provide affordable housing. The report pack noted that BPS Chartered Surveyors conducted the Independent Viability Review on behalf of the Council and reviewed the submitted Viability Assessment and supporting figures. Their report concludes that the proposal would generate a surplus of £233,196, and the applicant has agreed to provide a cash in lieu contribution to offset this surplus.

The report pack concluded by recommending that the application be approved subject to conditions and the completion of a legal agreement, including provisions for a cash-in-lieu contribution towards affordable housing, contributions towards healthcare, sustainable travel and the implementation of a Controlled Parking Zone, and a restriction that prohibits residents of the new homes from obtaining parking permits for future local CPZs.

The report pack noted that five objections had been received from members of the public, all of which objected to the proposal. These related to concerns about increased height and density, the impact on daylight/sunlight levels and overlooking, increased traffic and congestion, and the impact on local infrastructure.