Online engagement February 2021
A Vision for Hounslow’s
Town Centres Allies and Morrison Context for the vision
Why are we creating these vision Economic performance and documents? strategic challenges C K W I I S • We want our town centres to evolve, • Hounslow has shown strong economic H C thrive and innovate in order to meet performance in recent years and prior to T F O R D N current and future challenges, but we the COVID-19 pandemic it was the third E R must strive for more. A modern town fastest growing London Borough. B L O centre can play its part in mitigating N S W • The longer term impact of the COVID-19 U climate change, economic inequality O pandemic is still emerging, however H and even social injustice. All the while, the borough is expected to continue we must never lose sight of existing to perform well and grow into the town centre communities and adapting future. There are a number of strategic A M T H to welcoming new ones. We want to L challenges that will shape future E F support grassroot community projects economic growth across the town and strong public-private partnerships, centres within the borough: attracting investment and funding. • The future of air travel and Heathrow • By creating these documents for Airport Hounslow, Feltham, Brentford and • The changing nature of retail Chiswick town centres, we can build • The impact of COVID on leisure a plan, based on all the stakeholders’ • The evolving nature of workspace ambitions, and support the right kinds • Demand for industrial and distribution of developments. By having a vision in space place we will be better placed to attract • The impact of Brexit investment and funding to make the • Changes to the planning system plans happen. including Permitted Development and Use Classes. • This document sets out a set of draft themes to identify the future priorities • These strategic challenges will have for each town centre - do you agree with differing impacts on the four town these ideas? centres across the borough. Borough-wide priorities
Providing flexible town Delivering the Climate Improving residents’ Creating attractive and centres and economies Emergency Action Plan health and well being well-designed centres that work for everyone
• Establish our centres as part of the • Invest in our towns’ open spaces to give • Recognise the fantastic heritage of • Adjust our town centres to respond to ‘15-minute city’ with shops, jobs and people decent access to nature, with our town centres and celebrate this changing shopping patterns, with a services accessible in 15 minutes on a range of spaces including growing by raising the profile and providing greater mix of cultural, community, work foot, by bike or public transport. space. information on these. spaces and homes alongside shops.
• Improve local walking and cycling routes • Incorporate activities for all ages in • Explore lighting opportunities for • Support local markets and explore pop- and infrastructure to support this. centres and spaces such as play, landmark buildings within our centres. up shops in empty units. Establish running routes, gyms and skate parks. click and collect facilities in centres and • Green our town centres to provide shade • Ensure that new development responds dedicated areas for takeaway drivers. and drainage and improve air quality • Improve access to waterways near the to the character of our town centres, and biodiversity, making use of green centres, and make these waterside with planning applications looking • Invest in the public realm to make our roofs, walls and SUDs. routes safe and comfortable. beyond their site boundary at the wider town centres places to meet and spend context. time, aside from simply shopping. • Make new town centre homes highly • Improve access to and raise the profile energy efficient and factor in the of community services in our centres. • Encourage creative reinterpretations of • Support small businesses through embodied carbon of existing buildings Create sociable centres with gathering our traditional Georgian, Victorian and flexible and affordable space that can when considering redevelopment. spaces - outdoor seating, pop-up spaces, Art Deco buildings. encourage collaboration. markets and open library areas. • Further develop our recycling schemes • Explore opportunities for events that • Support connections between our local for town centre businesses, homes and • Support residents to walk and cycle for celebrate the craft, making and historic business and education establishments. in public spaces, to keep waste down short journeys and invest in the public industries of our town centres. • Partner with creative and engineering and our town centres clean and tidy. realm to make these trips more pleasant. • Make our town centres comfortable and business in the borough to provide • Design new buildings to be adaptable • Work with the network of amazing attractive places for people to walk and internships and job opportunities for our over time so that they can respond to community groups operating across our spend time, with public spaces and young people. changing habits and their embodied town centres. greenery. energy is not wasted. Brentford Big ideas for Brentford
A creative centre of A balanced town Celebrate “A well placed 1 production and 2 centre for all 3 Brentford’s museum would making historic character be great, there is such a rich Explore opportunities to integrate the Cater to existing and new residents Raise the profile of Brentford’s history” Creative Enterprise Zone and draw with a good mix of daytime and Georgian, Victorian and industrial on Brentford’s industrial heritage and evening uses for all ages and provide heritage and forge stronger current creative energy opportunities to bring the community connections with nearby landmarks together “Preserve the Example projects might include: Example projects might include: remaining older Example projects might include: buildings as • Providing a range of workspaces for SMEs • Showcasing Brentford’s landmark commercial to support the Creative Enterprise Zone, • Supporting and expanding the market buildings such as old Town Hall space or including reusing existing buildings. with a range of products for the whole and Carnegie Library with lighting. homes” community and the proposed market • A town-wide museum trail raising Improving links to Syon, Gunnersbury beneath the M4 in Boston Manor. the profile of Gunnersbury Park and Boston Manor House. Museum, Museum of Steam and Water, • Finding a new local home for the “Less flats • Retaining as many of Brentford’s historic Musical Museum, with marketing and Waterman’s Art Centre, with a possible and more building as possible and adapting these collaboration opportunities. move to the old police station site. infrastructure in future for new uses. to support • Better connections to/from businesses on • Cluster shops, cafes and community a growing • Providing guidance on new development the Great West Corridor, so workers can uses on the high street, with a potential community” and how this can provide a design use Brentford town centre in the evening. new evening venue at refurbished St led, contemporary take on Brentford’s Lawrence’s Church. • Building collaboration between CEZ historic typologies. “Make it businesses, University of West London • Providing good walking and cycling • Celebrating the history of craft, making, personable and West Thames College and providing links from neighbourhoods to shops and rivers and canals through a heritage trail with small intern/job opportunities for young people. services, with safe crossings. and/or a programme of events at local shops, cafes, • Protecting existing maker and artist • Making sure the centre is comfortable, venues, Market Place or Brentford North green spaces” space at Johnson’s Island, Boston Manor safe and appealing for all ages. Exploring Piazza. House and the Lots Ait Boatyard. opportunities for community pop-ups in Market Square and in empty buildings. Big ideas for Brentford
A waterfront Greening Integrating town centre Brentford Brentford “Nice seating 4 5 6 areas with plants etc, cafes, bars Reconnect Brentford with its waterfront Establish a network of green and open Improve links between the town centre and shops” identity, through better river front spaces within the town and better links and key destinations and between paths, activity on the waterfront and to large open spaces nearby. Reinforce distinct neighbourhoods. Establish the better public spaces Brentford’s distinctiveness through town centre as a place rather than a planting through route Example projects might include: “A strong link Example projects might include: Example projects might include: should be • An attractive, safe and continuous made between Thames River Path that connects to the • Investment in St Lawrence’s churchyard, the high street • Developing better walking and River Brent and canal. This could be part Waterman’s Park, St Paul’s Recreation and the river” cycling links between and through of a heritage trail. Ground as Brentford’s key green spaces. neighbourhoods, particularly north of the • Providing a mix of activity fronting the • Better walking and cycling links to high street. water - traditional industries, canal boats Boston Manor Park, Gunnersbury Park • Establishing the high street as a town and pubs; new cafes/bars; and parkland and Syon Park, possibly with a new “Riverside and centre, not a through route, through and wetland. River Brent footbridge. gardens are run public realm investment and signage. down, dirty and • Waterman’s Park as a priority project, • A new nature reserve at the former rail disconnected” • Better links to key destinations such as to transform this river front space, with line to the west of Commerce Road with the station and community hub, CEZ planting and community facilities. learning and volunteering opportunities. and community stadium. • Better signage towards the waterfront, • A network of green spaces of different • Better crossing facilities across the A4 to and investment in Brentford’s historic sizes and character, including growing link to the CEZ and neighbourhoods to lanes and yards connecting the High spaces and incidental plans. the north. Street and the water. • Bringing nature into the town centre, A programme of events celebrating • Encouraging people onto bikes and on with street tree planting, green roofs and Brentford’s role at the confluence of the foot by considering the parking strategy walls, SUDs, and a toolkit for community Rivers Thames and Brent, with learning for the town centre. groups to revive local spaces. and volunteering opportunities. Example projects
Island Gardens, Isle of Dogs Peckham Levels /Hangar, Denmark Ghent Light Festival
Island Gardens on the Isle of Dogs is a linear Peckham Levels took an existing multi-storey Ghent celebrates its significant built heritage every Thameside park which has seen investment in car park and retrofitted this with affordable co- few years with a light festival that showcases tree planting, benches, a cafe and public picnic working and maker space; leisure and craft groups; historic buildings and spaces and provides tables and is well used by local residents. Similar community space; and cafes and bars, making interpretive information on the city’s rich history. linear Thames parks exist at Victoria Embankment use of rooftop city views. Brentford’s buildings Brentford’s Georgian, Victorian and Art Deco Gardens and Whitehall Gardens. Waterman’s Park such as the former Wilson and Kyle factory could buildings, along with its significant infrastructure could be similarly transformed into a valuable support similar uses. Alternatively, light structure and Thames heritage could be celebrated in a community space with planting, seating, play workspaces could be established at empty sites similar fashion, with input from local community space and community space. and relocated as development takes place. groups.
Relevant big ideas Relevant big ideas Relevant big ideas BEDFONT LANE
Your vision
The plan on this page summarises some of the key spatial priorities for the town centre. Over the next few weeks we will be refining these plans and ideas using your feedback.
Please fill in the Citizenspace questionnaire and let us know...
• How supportive are you of each of the priorities for the town centre?
• Which themes/priorities do you think are the most important for Brentford?
• What do you think is the priority project for improving the town centre?
• Can you think of any projects that would be quick or easy to deliver to improve the town centre in the short term?
• Have we missed anything that should be emphasised in the vision?