Residents urged to object to restaurant being replaced with flats

Opposition is building up to the redevelopment of the former Pissarro restaurant site at Corney Reach, by the River Thames.

At a well attended meeting in the Pier House last week the residents of Corney Reach discussed the issues that are likely to affect them from the proposed development. The freeholders have submitted a planning application to redevelop and extend the Pissarro’s site and replace it with eight flats.

The main objection from residents centres around the loss of a local amenity which was part of the original planning consent for the entire site.

The Corney Reach residents’ group understands there have been more than 36 expressions of interest to take over the site as a café/bar/restaurant but for one reason or another these have either been rejected or not progressed by the freeholders, Gort Investments.

Those interested in taking on the restaurant include a celebrity TV chef and some Chiswick backers.

"The residents are urging every resident of Chiswick as well as those nearby who care about preserving a café/ bar/ restaurant on the River in this beautiful spot to register their objection to it being replaced with yet more flats" said one local against development.

The closing date for lodging objections is 28 July 2014 and this can also be done via Hounslow’s Planning Portal (reference P/2014/2596) or mailing Gavin.Chinniah@hounslow.gov.uk

The current application lodged by the freeholder, Gort Investments Ltd is for conversion of the existing restaurant and first floor flat and an extension to provide eight two-bedroom flats with parking spaces and bicycle storage.

The view of the river from Pissarro

The restaurant, which was named in honour of the 'Father of French Impressionism', Camille Pissarro (who painted many local scenes in the 1890s), opened in the late 1990s when it was owned by local investors. The restaurant has had a chequered history,and at one stage suffered a serious fire. It closed down last January saying there was not enough business to make it a commercial success.

July 18, 2014