Controversial Burlington Lane Scheme Gets Green Light

Councillor says residents' concerns being 'assuaged in trivia'

A visualisation from the developer of how the building would loom behind St. Nicholas Church

August 8, 2025

The controversial scheme to build a ten-storey building in the heart of historic Chiswick has been given the green light by councillors on the Hounslow planning committee.

Approval was given to a residential mixed-use development including 130 flats at the junction of Burlington Lane and the Hogarth Roundabout at a meeting on the evening of Thursday 7 August.

Planning officers presented their report recommending approval for the scheme that would replace a vacant and derelict office building.

The planners concluded there were ‘low to medium levels of less than substantial harm’ to local heritage assets including St. Nicholas Church and Chiswick House.

The development is 35 metres high compared to 21 metres for the existing buildings and 25 metres for an earlier design with planning permission was described as the fall-back scheme. This had been approved by a government inspector after being refused by Hounslow Council.

It was argued by the planners that, as the two extra storeys which represented the increase in height over the fall-back scheme were glazed, there would be less impact on local views.

The project would bring in over £6million in Community Infrastructure Levy payments with around 75% going to Hounslow Council and the rest to the GLA.

Local ward councillor John Todd, who is a member of the planning committee, brought the meeting’s attention to the letter from Historic England and raised the issue of tall buildings.

He pointed out that hundreds of residents, Historic England, two local authorities and the local MP had objected to the proposal.

He said, “That anger, that frustration, that lack of being heard is being assuaged in trivia.”

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

Labour councillor Max Mosley questioned the financial viability report which included a £876,000 valuation for a 4 bed flat and the returns on this basis was used to justify the low level of affordable housing. He was informed by a planning officer said amount of affordable housing could be reviewed at a later date.

Making a 5-minute representation on behalf of the objectors, Russell Harris, a KC who specialises in planning and is President of the Old Chiswick Protection Society (OCPS), said that St. Nichola Church has had a ‘serene yet focused dominance’ of the area which was subject to a ‘historic absence of challenge’.

He disputed the characterisation by the planning officers of the views of the consultees particularly Historic England which had specifically said that the proposal presented a high level of harm.

He pointed out that the objection of Historic England was to the additional ten metres of height over the fall-back scheme and this only delivered an extra 28 flats which could not possibly be an adequate public benefit to offset the harm.

It was also pointed out that Richmond Council had objected on the basis that historical views from its side of the river had statutory protection under its Local Plan. Mr Harris said the absence of a reference to this objection in the planners’ report was inexplicable and undermined the credibility of the proposal. It was acknowledged by a planning officer later in a meeting that the report had been misleading and the objection from Richmond Council was read out in full.

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

When Cllr Tom Bruce said that the difference between the current and fallback proposal was one of quality not quantity and there would be no CIL payments forthcoming from the latter, he was reminded by Mr Harris that to make a decision on this basis would be unlawful.

When Cllr John Stroud Turp said that the fall-back scheme was sub-optimal and the current proposal delivered significantly more benefits, Mr Harris pointed out that the government inspector had supported the earlier scheme because the flats would deliver a very substantial contribution to need.

Following the presentation from the developer there was discussion among the committee with Cllr Bruce advocating for approval. The meeting was suspended briefly after an interruption from a member of the public. The committee proceeded to vote with 13 councillors in favour of the scheme and Cllr Todd against with an amendment proposed by Cllr Stroud Turp to limit the number of parking spaces and restrict them to EVs.

The application is now subject to approval from the Greater London Authority.