Strong Arguments on Both Sides of the Gunnersbury Park Debate

Chiswick Homefields ward councillor Michael Denniss reports back

Cllr Mike Denniss

August 14, 2026

Few Planning Committee meetings have gathered as much interest and concern as last week’s, where our members considered an application by Gunnersbury Park Community Interest Company (CIC), a non-profit created to preserve and promote the park and its museum, to host music festivals at the park every year for five years. If you’ve not been to the park I do recommend a trip. A park run takes place there every Saturday morning and the museum boasts a fine collection of antiques. If, like me, you went to a nearby school in the 1990s you might have witnessed the harsh experience of a Victorian classroom.

Objections to the proposal were concerned not only with the immediate certain or foreseeable impacts that live performances would have on the park and the local area, such as loud music, littering and physical damage to the park’s grounds, but also the time how long large sections of the park would be unavailable to members of the public. Although the live event days were limited to 22 days per annum, the annual set up and removal period was 115 days, almost a third of the year. Nimbyists they were not, as Cllr Biddolph and members of local residents’ groups spoke eloquently with clear evidence of having spoken with locals and a thorough grasp of the issues.

Against this the CIC made their case. The live music could produce funds that far surpass those generated by other means, such as weddings and corporate events. Some sections of the park were in a state of disrepair and could benefit from revenues flowing from the live events. Furthermore, the CIC has a licence for 25 years and a medium term arrangement for events such as these within that time frame was, in their view, and one I was sympathetic towards, necessary in order to produce a realistic framework with which to run the CIC, plan events and apply for funding. I was impressed with their argument, and accusations that they were trying to “commercialise” the park lacked awareness of the financial challenges of running a small-medium sized organisation. I found myself sympathetic to both sides and would have spoken of the strengths of both arguments but for a successful vote on deferring the matter to another to give the CIC a chance to revise their application in light of some of the objections. Sadly I’ll be away when the application comes before the committee again next month to make a final decision but do attend in person or online if you wish. It’s 7pm at Hounslow House on Thursday 3rd September.

Last month I had my first meeting of the Thomas Layton Collection, the trust that maintains and displays for the purposes of education hundreds of valuables and antiques that Mr Layton, a former councillor, generously bequeathed to the people of Brentford. There are nine of us, about half of whom are councillors in Hounslow, who make up the governance structure for the trust. The leading members have been attached to the trust for several years. They presented current proposals to move much of the collection to a permanent venue where it could be displayed to the public. 

Now, have you ever been to an “engagement event” run by the council? Nor had I, until council officers invited me and Cllrs Emsley and Grigg to one in Edensor Gardens last month. This was part of the council’s housing services team’s commendable efforts to reach out to residents across the borough to understand issues related to housing, particularly disputes between landlords and tenants, and to identify any larger themes such as irresponsible landlords or housing associations. Residents and I met with housing officers and other representatives and asked questions about how residents could raise concerns, access guidance and connect with the relevant teams. Further events are taking place on Saturday 22nd August at Oxford Court in Hanworth and at the Redwood Estate on 19th September, both from 12:30-16:00. For more information on how to take part please contact engage@hounslow.gov.uk. If you live in Chiswick Homefields ward and you have an irresponsible landlord, please do get in touch with me (michael.denniss@hounslow.gov.uk), Cllr Emsley or Cllr Grigg.

Cllr Michael Denniss

Michael.Denniss@hounslow.gov.uk

DEMOCRACY: DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Anyone can attend public meetings of the council. Hounslow House is fully accessible. Hounslow Central tube station is not step-free. The 237 bus stops nearby. Parking in local roads is limited.

Principal meetings are broadcast live on the Council’s YouTube channel

Overview and Scrutiny Committee : 1 September at 7pm

Audit and Governance Committee : 2 September at 7pm

Planning Committee : 3 September at 7pm

Chiswick Area Forum : 16 September from 6.30pm

CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLORS CONTACT INFO

Chiswick Gunnersbury ward

Cllr Joanna Biddolph joanna.biddolph@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 703446

Cllr Vickram Grewal vickram.grewal@hounslow.gov.uk 07904 184099

Cllr Ron Mushiso ron.mushiso@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 702887

Chiswick Homefields ward

Cllr Michael Denniss Michael.Denniss@hounslow.gov.uk

Cllr Jack Emsley jack.emsley@hounslow.gov.uk 07977 396017

Cllr Linden Grigg Linden.Grigg@hounslow.gov.uk 07779 436258

Chiswick Riverside ward

Cllr Gabriella Giles gabriella.giles@hounslow.gov.uk 07966 270823