Modern World Could Intrude on Chiswick House for the First Time

Planners admit Burlington Lane development can be seen from gardens

A CGI from planning documentation shows outline of new building to the right of Chiswick House

April 29, 2025

Since the creation of the gardens around Chiswick House no building outside the perimeter has been visible from within the grounds.

This may be about to change if approval is given at a meeting taking place on Thursday 1 May to the proposed ten storey tower next to Hogarth Roundabout on the site of the former IMG offices.

Parts of the mixed-use residential-led scheme which would be entered from Burlington Lane would be seen from within the Chiswick House Gardens including when looking at the house from across the lake.

Hounslow Council planners describe this impact as ‘less than substantial harm’ and are recommending that councillors give their approval to the application.

They argue that the damage done to views, which have previously excluded glimpses of the modern world, is justified due to the 132 new flats being provided at a time of a housing shortage in the borough. The scheme proposed by Burlington Properties London Limited and designed by Simpson Haugh architects will contain 119 flats for market sale, 7 for social rent and 6 for shared ownership. Originally there were only 7 units classed as affordable, but this was increased to 13 following viability negotiations between the applicant and the planning department. The development also includes 13 wheelchair accessible flats.

In addition, the borough planning team was impressed by the sustainability of the scheme which it is claimed will bring about a 71.3% site-wide CO₂ reduction through the use of solar panels, ambient Loop Communal Heating System and air-source heat pumps.

CGI from planning documents of the building view from the portico of Chiswick House towards the cafe

However, as well as intruding on Chiswick House, the main tower will be visible from many vantage points in the most picturesque and historic parts of Chiswick including the Old Chiswick Cemetery, St Nicholas Church, Chiswick Mall, and the Glebe Estate. The building will be visible looking across at Chiswick by those walking on the by the river on the Barnes side.

The application has provoked a vehement objection from Historic England which said, “The large scale, bulk and massing of the proposed development would be entirely out of keeping with its historic surroundings, resulting in a considerable amount of harm to multiple heritage designations, including those of the highest significance. Therefore, Historic England strongly objects to these proposals and recommends that more modest forms of development are pursued for this site which would avoid harmful effects to this exceptionally historic part of Hounslow.”

CGI from planning documents of the building view from the conservatory

There have been 169 objections to the scheme so far including one from The Old Chiswick Protection Society (OCPS). We have asked the Chiswick House and Gardens Trust for comment.

The report by council planners concedes that the scheme does not meet the policy ideal mix, but this is acceptable due to viability constraints. The visual intrusions are acknowledged but the planners say these are balanced by public and design benefits.

This adopts the argument given by the developer in its heritage report submitted with the application. It claims that more distant buildings can already be seen in Chiswick House Gardens through the tree cover as well as the Chiswick Gate development and that the café building by Caruso St John has also altered the setting of the house. It is also argued that, outside of winter the new structures would be more masked by tree cover.

CGI of the scheme as viewed from Old Chiswick Cemetery. Picture: Simpson Haugh Architects

The planner’s report states, “At present, these views are near pristine, with no modern development outside the site visible. The upper storeys would likely be visible from numerous important locations within the grounds of Chiswick House, including Grade I Listed Buildings which were designed to be, and remain the focal points of the landscape. As a result of the visibility of the new scheme, the proposed urban form would clearly be at odds with the house and the landscape and would be the first serious visual incursion of the modern world into Chiswick House and Gardens.”

However, it goes on to claim that this would be ‘a minor adverse change to the setting of this heritage asset and would have a moderate impact on the park’ concluding that ‘this moderate impact would represent less than substantial harm to the Grade I Registered Park and Garden.’

To mitigate this harm the developer has agreed to make a contribution of £10,000 towards Chiswick House improvement. In relation to this matter a spokesperson for the Trust said, "Chiswick House & Gardens Trust have no knowledge, nor have they had any discussions with the developer about a financial donation of any kind in relation to the development. "

CGI of scheme as viewed from Burlington Lane. Picture: Simpson Haugh Architects

The council planner’s report also acknowledges that the impacts of the scheme on the Old Chiswick are ‘wide ranging’ stating, “The proposal would appear as a tall and broad urban block above the roofline of the Listed Buildings along Chiswick Mall.”

However, the scheme is praised for providing a landmark indicating arrival in the Chiswick area from the A316 and A4.

If approved the developer would be liable to pay an index-linked Community Infrastructure Levy which currently would total £6,288,289.96, with £1,202,716.00 for Hounslow Council and £5,085,573.96 for the Mayor of London. In addition, there is a £123,595 carbon offset payment.

Comments send to planning.objections@hounslow.gov.uk before Wednesday 30 April will still be considered. The planning application reference is P/2024/2610.

If the borough planning committee gives the go ahead to the application, it would then be referred to the Mayor of London for a final decision.