Residents disappointed, BBC's John Humphrys dismayed

Hammersmith and Fulham Council have approved a planning application to demolish the Goldhawk Industrial Estate and build 57 new homes and eight commercial units.

BBC presenter John Humphrys, who joined local residents in campaigning against the plans, says he is "surprised and dismayed" by the go-ahead, which was granted on Wednesday, September 23.

90 local residents packed the room to hear the council approve the decision by a majority decision.

"We are very disappointed," says Rosemary Pettit, spokeswoman for the residents and regular on the HammersmithToday forum. " The council took little notice of local residents' concerns."

She adds that residents will now be discussing the decision and deciding their next moves.

Developer London Newcastle has said it intends to build three, two-storey mews houses, 21 town houses and 33 flats -  16 private and 15 shared ownership - on the Brackenbury Road site. The flats and commercial units will be housed in a new four storey building. Local people say this amounts to over-development of the area.

Demolishing the Goldhawk Estate's 11 light industrial estates will also affect the current tenants, including the Soundhouse recording studios which are used by BBC Radio as well as for editing films, and Innocent Drinks which employs 180 people, many of them living in Hammersmith.

The drinks company could now be forced to move out of the borough, losing local jobs in the process. Says Innocent's John Durham: " Whilst Innocent has a plan to move as our lease expires at the end of the first quarter of 2011, if we ever had the opportunity to stay, we would."

September 24, 2009