Mayor approves L&Q Brentford scheme after ‘call-in’
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has approved 441 new homes in Brentford after using his “call-in” powers following the scheme’s refusal by Hounslow Council.
The L&Q scheme will deliver 50% affordable housing – an uplift on the 40% and 421 homes within the refused scheme – secured following the mayor’s intervention.
The approved scheme also includes a review mechanism that means that if building is not well underway within two years of the permission being granted, the developer could be compelled to provide further affordable homes.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has approved 441 new homes in Brentford after using his “call-in” powers following the scheme’s refusal by Hounslow Council.
The L&Q scheme will deliver 50% affordable housing – an uplift on the 40% and 421 homes within the refused scheme – secured following the mayor’s intervention.
The approved scheme also includes a review mechanism that means that if building is not well underway within two years of the permission being granted, the developer could be compelled to provide further affordable homes.
Hounslow Council refused the scheme over “concerns the development would negatively impact on local heritage sites, including Kew Gardens”.
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Khan said: “This scheme shows how we can unlock the potential of an underused site to build more of the genuinely affordable homes Londoners so urgently need. I’m clear that to fix the capital’s housing crisis government must play its part, but we can make a difference now by ensuring developments include more genuinely affordable housing.
“I have carefully considered the impacts of these plans – particularly the effect on historic buildings in nearby Kew Gardens – and have concluded that the benefit of delivering more than 400 homes, including 218 genuinely affordable homes, justifies granting permission.
“I am committed to using the full strength of my planning powers to get London building more affordable homes.
“This is another important step as we work towards my long-term strategic goal for 50% of housing in all new developments across the city to be social rented and other genuinely affordable homes for Londoners.”
Last week, Khan called in two schemes in Greenwich that could provide over 1,000 homes, one of which was described by the planning chair as “looking like Stalingrad.”
Both schemes provided 35% affordable housing on sites located in Opportunity Areas.
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