Official Complaint Launched Over Chiswick War Memorial Homes

Residents Voice Strong Objections to Council’s Planning Process

Chiswick residents have launched an official complaint over the handling of the recent Council planning application for the redevelopment of the Chiswick War Memorial Homes, located in the Grove Park Conservation Area.

In an eight page letter written to Mark Gilks, the Chief Executive of Hounslow Council residents outlined what they believe to be irregularities in the decision to approve planning permission for the Burlington Lane site agreed at the Council’s Sustainable Development Committee (SDC) meeting held in January.

The letter, which requests that the Grove Park residents’ complaints be put through the Council’s official complaints procedure, has been copied to other officials including Local Government Ombudsman, Tony Redmond and Chiswick’s Riverside Ward MP, Ann Keen.

Rishad Talyarkhan, who is coordinating opposition to the proposed decision - which he says is `almost total` amongst residents surrounding the site – lists a series of issues for investigation that have arisen en route to a decision which threatens to destroy the local streetscape in the Conservation Area and that has serious other aesthetic and environmental consequences.

“We are not objecting to the redevelopment of the Homes. We do object strongly to the implementation and to the approval process. The Council steamrollered this application through, ignoring the valid objections of local residents and taxpayers and tolerated a deliberate avoidance of consultation from the developer,” emphasises Talyarkhan. “We have witnessed what appears to be bias in planning process, clear double standards, and even `democratic deficit` involving a local councillor and Mayor of Hounslow promoting the development to the SDC despite overwhelming opposition in her local ward.”`

February 7, 2007