Online Fashion Retailer Seeks Permission for Fishers Lane Operation
Brandy Melville using Garment Building without required permission
The Garment Building on Fishers Lane
March 11, 2026
A retrospective planning application has been submitted to Hounslow Council to regularise the use of the Garment Building on Fishers Lane, after fashion retailer Brandy Melville converted the former serviced-office complex into a storage and distribution hub for its online business.
The application, lodged under reference P/2026/0612, seeks permission for the change of use from serviced offices to storage and distribution with ancillary offices , along with minor external alterations including the installation of roller-shutter doors.
The building, which sits within the Chiswick High Road Conservation Area, was auctioned in 2023 after the previous owners entered administration and was operating at only 30 per cent occupancy at the time of sale.
Brandy Melville Online Ltd acquired the freehold in early 2024 and began operating the site as a distribution centre shortly afterwards. According to the planning documents, the building now functions as a hub for receiving goods—primarily via Heathrow Airport—before picking, packing and dispatching orders to customers across the UK and Europe. Around 30 per cent of the floorspace remains in ancillary office use.
The company states that the operation is small-scale, with a maximum of ten staff on site at any time and no more than four delivery vehicles per day, all of which are vans rather than HGVs. Operating hours are limited to 8:00am–4:30pm, Monday to Friday.
A Transport Statement submitted with the application states that the current use generates significantly fewer vehicle movements than the former office use, with three to four two-way trips during peak hours compared with up to nineteen previously. All servicing takes place within the site’s private forecourt, avoiding any need for loading on Fishers Lane.
The planning statement argues that the change of use is justified by the long-term decline of the Chiswick office market. Two previous operators—IWG and Podium—were unable to make the building viable, and an Office Market Assessment included with the application notes that Chiswick has an oversupply of office space, with vacancy rates around 18 per cent and fifteen competing buildings offering available floorspace. The applicant contends that the building’s industrial configuration makes it unsuitable for modern office requirements without major investment, and that the current use keeps the site in productive employment, generating business rates and supporting local jobs.
Brandy Melville itself is a well-known but often controversial fashion brand, founded in Italy and popular among teenagers and young adults. The company operates a small number of UK stores, including one on King’s Road, and has a significant online retail presence. Its business model relies heavily on rapid distribution and fulfilment, which the Chiswick site now supports. The brand has faced scrutiny internationally over its sizing policies and workplace culture, though these issues do not form part of the planning assessment.
The application acknowledges that the site lies within a conservation area but states that the external changes are minimal and do not affect the character of the building or the wider streetscape. A Noise Impact Assessment concludes that the limited operational hours and low number of vehicle movements mean the use does not give rise to adverse noise impacts for nearby residents.
Residents and businesses can comment on the application via Hounslow Council’s planning portal by searching for planning reference P/2026/0612. Representations can be submitted online until the consultation period closes.
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