Social landlord prepares to submit proposals for Goldhawk Road site

A housing association is preparing to submit plans to thecouncil for the redevelopment of the Allied Carpets site on Goldhawk Road.

Network Housing Group, which bought the site
in March 2007, is proposing to build 47 flats and a commercial unit there, constructing a building ranging from two to six storeys in height.

Two years ago, controversial plans to construct a 10-storey building on the site, which is on the corner of Askew and Greenside Roads, were rejected after fierce local opposition.

Network says its proposals are completely unrelated to the 10-storey design and that it has tried hard to address the concerns of both local residents and council planning officers: “We’ve done everything we can to reduce massand height, Network’s Katherine Flower said. “We’re confident we have a scheme that is appropriate to the site and which we believe is acceptable but we can obviously never be sure it will be permitted."

At a recent exhibition, Network displayed what it said were the “significant changes” it
had made to its design since residents were first consulted last November. It said locals were particularly positive about the improved parking access and alterations to make the building’s appearance more in keeping with its environment.

But Shepherd’s Bush MP Andy Slaughter said he was not convinced that much had changed since last autumn: “They have tried to improve the development but essentially it’s the same thing they put forward previously,” he said. “It’s an important site and we need a sympathetic development there,” he added.

Annabel Clarke of the Cathnor Park Area Action Group said her members were yet to discuss the revised plans but offered her own opinion: “It’s much better, it’s a great improvement,” she said. “The vehemence of public opinion was the height issue last time and this has now been addressed”.

However, she said she was concerned about how the pavement area on the Goldhawk Road side of the buildingwould be used.

“What Network Housing currently envisage is that 12 metre lorries come off the double roundabouts and unload from what is, in reality, the pavement,” she said.“Imagine walking round the corner from Greenside Road and suddenly meeting a 12 metre lorry”.

She said she was also concerned that the small accommodation units, which will include shared ownership properties, social housing for rent and privateflats, might encourage a transient population.

“We have to build 47 units to make the scheme financially viable,” explained Network Housing, which is a social landlord and therefore makes no profit.

To the south of Goldhawk Road, Rosemary Pettit of the Brackenbury Residents’ Association described Network’srevised plans as “tidy if timid”. “Questions still remain about waste and energy management, traffic impact andthe fenestration on Askew Road,” she said.

Network’s consultation period runs until 12th April, but people will still be able to comment as part of the council’s formal consultation process.

The housing association hopes to submit its plans to LBHF at the end of this month and, if it gets the go-ahead, will start work on the site after September, when the Allied Carpets lease expires.

For more information on the plans, visit:
http://www.networkhg.org.uk/data/network-group/data/goldhawk-road.htm

Yasmine Estaphanos

April 7, 2008