Developer Launches Consultation on Revised Watermans Plans
Views sought on new proposals for police station and Albany Riverside
A visualisation of the new building on the police station site from planning documents
October 31, 2025
A new consultation has been launched on the updated plans for the twin developments associated with the Watermans Arts Centre. The former Brentford Police Station and the now-closed cinema and theatre have been revised to adapt previously approved schemes to meet updated safety regulations and economic conditions. A public drop-in session has been announced for Thursday 13 November at the Armenian Church on Ealing Road, offering residents a chance to review the changes and speak directly with the applicant team.
The two projects were granted planning permission by Hounslow Council in 2021. However, the applicant team has now submitted Section 73 applications to vary the original consents, citing changes in building regulations, sustainability standards, and viability.
The Albany Riverside site, which includes the former Watermans Arts Centre and Max Factor House, will see an increase in the number of flats from 193 to 219. The revised mix includes a higher proportion of one- and two-bedroom units, with three-bedroom homes reduced from 19% to just 7%. Enhancements to communal gardens and green courtyards are proposed, along with a revised retail/café unit that improves its interface with Watermans Park. One block (Block E) will increase in height by one storey.
The Brentford Police Station site will increase from 105 to 111 flats, with a significant shift toward larger units. The number of three-bedroom homes will rise from 10% to 28%, while one-bedroom units will drop from 52% to 21%. The public realm will expand from 322 sqm to 405 sqm, and building heights will increase to seven and eight storeys. The proposed Arts/Cultural Centre will be slightly reduced in size, from 2,776 sqm to 2,327 sqm.
Both developments maintain a 20% affordable housing commitment, with the Police Station site designed entirely as affordable-ready. The revised mix aims to improve the availability of family-sized affordable units.
A visualisation of the revised Albany Riverside scheme from planning documents
The consultation event will take place at the Armenian Church, formerly the Princess Royal pub, from 3pm to 7pm. Residents can view the full applications online via Hounslow Council’s planning portal using reference numbers P/2025/2496 (Police Station) and P/2025/2495 (Albany Riverside). Comments can be submitted directly through the portal.
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