219 homes and café at 40 High Street, Brentford

“P/2025/2495 Address: 40 High Street, TW8 0DS Ward: Brentford East Proposal: Variation of Condition 2, approved documents and plans, to allow for recent regulatory changes to the Building Safety Act in respect of fire safety act, an additional storey to the eastern block, amendments to internal layouts of all residential buildings, amendments to the building footprint, amendments to the housing mix, amendments to building elevations, reduction of the basement, updated…”

“It will deliver 219 new homes (an uplift of 26 homes from the consented position), alongside 192 square metres of Class E floorspace, public realm improvements, and would facilitate the re-provision/re-location of the Arts Centre to a sustainable edge of town centre location.”

“Figure 1: Site Location Plan Relevant features of the application site: 2.1 The subject site, comprising approximately 0.63 hectares, is located on the southern side of Brentford High Street, between Smith Hill and Waterman’s Park and bordered by the River Thames to the south. The site is occupied by the vacant two-storey Max Factor office building and the Waterman’s Arts Centre.”

“Vehicular access to the site is currently towards the eastern end of the site, away from the traffic light-controlled junction with Ealing Road. A right-turn filter allows access for the eastbound traffic on the High Street with a central refuge between the junction and start of the filter lane. There is an on-highway cycle lane on both sides of the High Street for the length of the site and beyond in both directions.”

“Approved: 10/01/2023 P/2025/1648 Non-Material Amendment to add a phasing condition to permission 00607/T/P1 - P/2017/3372 dated 21/04/2021 for Demolition of existing office building and Arts Centre and the erection of new buildings to provide new dwellings, with ancillary ground floor retail/cafe, hard and soft landscaping, revised vehicular access and all necessary enabling and ancillary works.' Approved: 19/06/2025 4.0 DETAILS OF PROPOSAL 4.1 Under application P/2017/3372…”

“The Original Permission was for: • Erection of five blocks between 7 and 8 storeys in height; • 193 market homes comprised of 1-3 -bedroom dwellings, 0% affordable housing; • 272 square metres retail floorspace at the ground floor fronting Waterman’s Park; • Improve riverside walkway; • 44 car parking spaces at basement level (including 10 Blue Badge and 9 Active EV charging spaces); • 319 long-stay cycle spaces and 5 short-stay cycle space; • 4,111 sqm of new publicly…”

“The proposal would be highly sustainable achieving an overall minimum 72% reduction in emissions over Building Regulations Part L compliant baseline. A resolution for the Approval of the planning application is therefore recommended, subject to the completion of a S106 agreement and recommended conditions, and referral to the GLA Stage 2.”

“He concludes, for the reasons set out at IR471 and IR475, that the cumulative harms, when taken together with the direct harm, should be assessed as moderate on the ‘less than substantial’ scale (IR471). The Secretary of State has had regard to the impacts on the setting and significance of the Kew Green Conservation Area (CA).”

“In line with paragraph 193 of the Framework and s.66(1) of the Act the Secretary of State gives great weight to the heritage harms he has identified. He gives further slight weight to the impact on residents of Lighterage Court/Kew Reach. Against this he weighs the provision of housing, including affordable housing, which he considers carry significant weight in favour of the scheme.”

“Health & Safety Executive: • No objection. London Fire Brigade: • No objection received at the time of writing. Metropolitan Police – Secured by Design: • No objection received at the time of writing. Secured by Design condition (40) recommended. Sport England: • No objection, standing advice provided. London Borough of Richmond upon Thames: • Objection on the impact on heritage assets.”

“It considers that delivery and financial risk is being transferred to the public sector, creating a risk that the Arts Centre could be delayed, diluted or not brought into meaningful public use. Brentford Voice requests that residential occupation or marketing at Albany Riverside is linked to the substantial completion and operational readiness of the Arts Centre, supported by enforceable obligations on fit-out, operator engagement and delivery.”

“Resolved – that planning application P/2025/2496, variation of Condition 2, approved documents and plans to allow for recent regulatory changes to the Building Safety Act in respect of fire safety act, height increase of two storeys, amendments to the Arts/Cultural centre, amendments to the configuration of the internal layouts, amendments to the unit mix, amendments to building elevations and facades, reduction of the basement, and updated landscaping proposals of planning…”

“Members now debated the Albany Riverside Application. Cllr Max Mosley concurred with Cllr Bowring that the loss of Waterman’s Arts Centre had been keenly felt, adding the frustration felt by many that redevelopment and provision of an arts replacement had stalled. He expressed concern about the lack of water access in the park and hoped the Planning Committee could address the issue by adding a condition.”

“Cllr Mosley moved that a condition be added that a stand pipe for the use of groundsmen be provided within the red line of the Application; and that authority be delegated to the Director of Planning and Buildings to discuss a condition or Section 106 agreement with the Applicant and the Chair of the Planning Committee that two further stand pipes be provided outside the red line of the Application, within Watermans Park, seconded by Cllr Stroud-Turp.”

“Cllr Mosley moved approval of the officer’s recommendations including the above added condition, seconded by Cllr Stroud-Turp. Members voted unanimously to approve the recommendations.”

“Resolved – that planning application P/2025/2495, variation of Condition 2, approved documents and plans, to allow for recent regulatory changes to the Building Safety Act in respect of fire safety act, an additional storey to the eastern block, amendments to internal layouts of all residential buildings, amendments to the building footprint, amendments to the housing mix, amendments to building elevations, reduction of the basement, updated landscape proposals and updated…”