London Square has received permission from the London Borough of Richmond for a residential-led mixed-use scheme in Twickenham after planning officials had recommended that the council reject the scheme.
London Square hailed the decision as “a victory for common sense”. It will provide 116 homes, of which 58 are affordable, on the 2.7-acre derelict brownfield site, which has been vacant since 2018.
The developer was first refused planning for the site in 2020 when it applied to build 116 homes and 1,900 sq ft of commercial space, with a 40% affordable homes provision. The plan was rejected on the grounds of loss of employment space and level of affordable housing.
Following the rejection, London Square submitted two more applications in August this year, the first of which has now been approved. The other, comprising 97 new homes, 30% of which are affordable, and 9,500 sq ft of industrial warehouse space, has been deferred by the council.
Both schemes had initially been recommended for refusal by Richmond’s planning officials.
Mark Smith, group development director at London Square, said: “Last night’s decision will provide 58 new affordable homes – almost double the overall number of affordable delivered in the borough in the past year.
“We applaud the local ward councillors who made representations to support the scheme and are delighted that the planning committee decided to listen to the local community, rather than be led by the advice of planning officers who were concerned about a loss of unviable industrial land. It is a victory for common sense.”
Planning in Richmond upon Thames >>
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