Briefing LB Hounslow Planning Committee Presentation

250 Gunnersbury Avenue, Chiswick, W4 5QB

June 2019

The Site: The site is located on the corner of Power Road and Gunnersbury Avenue, and comprises a dilapidated 1970s 3 storey office block with ancillary parking to the rear, which offers 833 sq. m. of (GIA) of outdated B1 office floorspace.

The existing building has been vacant since November 2014 when the previous tenant vacated. Attempts to lease the property or progress a viable commercial redevelopment have failed, meaning the site has been left utilised. It represents a lost opportunity for an underutilised brownfield site on a prominent corner plot.

The site is located on the western edge of the Power Road LSIS (Locally Significant Industrial Site), which is designated and protected as employment land. It is immediately bounded by a Volvo car showroom/dealership (sui generis) to the north, an office (B1a) building to the south, a gym (D2) with residential (C3) accommodation above to the east and the Chiswick B&Q unit to the west (on the opposite side of Gunnersbury Avenue).

Due to its proximity to Kew Bridge Railway Station and Gunnersbury Overground and Underground Station and a number of bus stops along Chiswick High Road, the Site benefits from PTAL 3.

The site does not comprise a listed building and currently makes a negative visual impact on the surrounding area. However, there are heritage assets within the wider surrounding area to consider, including Gunnersbury Park (Grade II* listed registered park and conservation area) to the north, Wellesley Road Conservation Area to the south and Thorney Hedge Conservation Area to the east.

Site Planning History: The site is subject to an extensive recent planning history that demonstrates the attempts that have been made to improve or redevelop it, including:

 Ref. 00535/250/P13, Approved October 2017 | Demolition of the existing office building and redevelopment of the site to provide a new eight storey office building (ground plus seven upper floors) with flexible ground floor B1(a) / A1 floorspace and basement car parking. Proposals include the provision of refuse and cycle stores, plant and roof level PV panels.

 Ref. 00535/250/P12, Approved May 2016 | Demolition of the existing office building and redevelopment of site to provide a new 7 storey office building with flexible B1(a) and A1 floorspace with basement car parking and provision of refuse and cycle stores, plant and roof level PV panels.

 Ref. 00535/250/P11, Approved, July 2015 | Erection of a four-storey rear extension, creation of an additional floor and installation of plant enclosure with minor alterations and rearrangement of parking.

 Ref. 00535/250/P10, Approved, December 2014 | Erection of an additional storey and rear extensions at the ground, first and second floor levels in connection with the provision of additional office accommodation with minor external alterations and rearrangement of car parking.

 Ref. 00535/250/P9, Approved, December 2013 | Erection of a three-storey rear extension to the existing building to comprise the provision of undercroft car parking at ground floor level, additional office floorspace at the first and second floor level and a green roof at roof level.

 Ref. 00535/250/P7, Approved, May 2011 | Erection of an additional storey at third floor level to provide B1(a) office space (190sq.m).

 Ref. 00535/250/P6, Refused, January 2011 | Demolition of an existing three storey office building and the erection of a six-storey building plus two basement storeys for car show room (sui generis use) and office (B1 use) purposes with associated landscaping and parking.

 Ref. 00535/250/P5, Refused, February 2009 | Demolition of existing building and the erection of a seven-storey building with roof terrace and two basement levels for showroom (Sui Generis) and office (B1) use with associated landscaping and parking.  The permission for the 8-storey office building is still live but has not been implemented and has been found to be an unviable scheme. The site has been marketed by Savills and there was no interest to build out the recent consented office schemes. Savills has provided further market advice, which has found that in the current market this is the wrong site and location for large scale speculative office development.

Surrounding Context: Power Road Estate LSIS The Power Road Estate is typically made up of relatively low intensity, low rise employment units. Unlike most LSIS designations, there is very little traditional industrial floorspace within the Power Road Estate. The predominant use across is B1 office / light industrial studio workspace, which in planning terms, is regarded as having the ability to successfully co-locate alongside residential uses. These B1 premises are accompanied by several car dealership / sales rooms (Sui Generis) and non-employment related uses, including a hotel (C1), a scuba diving school (D1), a gym (D2) and residential apartments (C3). The residential apartments are located immediately to the rear of the site at 129 Power Road, after being allowed via office to residential permitted development rights in 2015. In the emerging Great West Corridor Local Plan Review, LB Hounslow:

 Supports opportunities to intensify and make more efficient use of existing employment land by co-locating employment with residential uses where it is necessary to facilitate renewal and regeneration of employment land, and where this can be achieved in line with Agent of Change principle and without harm to the future integrity of employment uses on the site.

 Highlights that it seeks to protect the LSIS function of Power Road and support opportunities for its intensification for employment uses;

 Describes Power Road as “diverse employment area with a mix of car related businesses, light industrial uses and office conversions serving creative industries such as the Power Road Studios and the Light Box”

 Seeks for the Power Road area to become a key employment hub for creative industries providing affordable workspace for smaller and creative industries.

Subject site

Changing Surrounding Landscape There are two sites in the immediate vicinity that are subject to redevelopment proposals currently working through the planning process:

 The B&Q site sits directly opposite and is not located within the Power Road LSIS. This is still at pre-application stage, but a planning application is anticipated later this year for a mixed-use scheme which includes 238 residential apartments, 220 bed hotel, car showrooms, and public square.

Subject site

 The Curve was refused at committee and is subject

to a public inquiry appeal which was due to be decided in March of this year, but the date has

subsequently been revised to “Not yet decided”. There are various other consents that have been granted on this site in the past which have set precedents for large-scale buildings (The Octopus at 50m AOD and The Citadel 54m AOD).

The Proposed Development Demolition of the existing building and redevelopment of the site to provide a mixed- use part 11, part 12 and part 13 storey building comprising flexible workspace (Class B1) and co-living accommodation above (sui generis) with associated communal shared space and amenity, including ancillary basement level, disabled car parking, cycle storage, plant and public realm improvements.  925sqm GIA of purpose-built, flexible B1 space (11% increase to existing floorspace)

 226 co-living units provided in a range of sizes from 20sqm to 30sqm

 10% of co-living units to be fully accessible (i.e. DDA compliant)

 Over 1,500sqm of internal and external amenity space, providing a broad range of facilities including café, dining spaces, kitchens, lounges, cinema room, gym, laundry, and a range of roof terraces

 Provision of secure long and short stay cycle spaces in agreement with Hounslow Highways Officers

 8 disabled parking spaces

 Public realm improvements at street level The Proposed Development – The Workspace The proposed B1 workspace will be 925m2 and provided at ground and first floor, which is an increase of 11% from the existing dated office space. The workspace will be flexible and managed to accommodate a range of potential occupiers and be attractive to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), start-ups and creative industries. This is reflective of the sort of occupiers that have been attracted to the wider Power Road estate within the Lightbox, Power Road Studios and Chiswick Studio premises.

The Proposed Development – Co-Living Co-living is a modern and innovative living solution for graduates and urban professionals wanting affordable accommodation and to live in sought after locations enabling them to integrate their social and working lifestyle. Co-living provides:

 High-quality private living space for graduates and urban professionals

 Convenient, all-inclusive and flexible tenancy terms within a secure residential environment

 Communal facilities including kitchens, launderettes, dining spaces, lounges, gyms, function rooms among others

 A setting for interaction and community, encouraging the ‘bump’ effect where residents working life also benefits from social interaction

A form of accommodation for people who are unable to afford to rent or own an apartment by themselves, who are new to a city, or who just do not want to be tied to a mortgage or long lease, co-living offers an incredible opportunity to find fulfilment. It offers everyone from the working professional to the digital nomad a new way to live an exciting and freedom-filled, yet budget-friendly, life focused on community and creativity.

The key target markets for this type of accommodation are seen as:

 Recent graduates and young professionals, who have moved out of fully managed purpose-built student accommodation and are now living on an average graduate salary.

 People who have just moved to the city who are motivated to expand their network on both a professional and social level.

 Project based workers who need accommodation for a longer period than a hotel is economically viable.

 Those who place a premium on high quality amenity spaces right on their doorstep such as work places, lounges, gyms etc. that they can use to entertain work associates and/or friends.

The main attractions that co-living can offer include:

 All-inclusive rents: all bills and access to amenity spaces within the block are included within the weekly rental price

 Security: there is a concierge on site 24/7, which enables a continuous service for resident deliveries and provides security

 Professional management: A single professionally operated and experienced building manager, supporting its residents and community.

 Flexibility: Residents can choose from a variety of tenancy lengths (minimum 3 months).

 Cost saving: No additional/hidden fees associated with renting such as inventory checks, referencing and tenancy fees.

 Public realm/amenity: Internal and external amenity spaces in the form of lounges, gyms, cafes, work spaces, roof terraces etc.

 Providing this form of accommodation will attract people out of the typically lower quality traditional house share HMO’s, and free up this form of housing for families within the Borough.

 LB Hounslow does not have a planning policy in relation to co-living. The emerging London Plan addresses this accommodation product in draft Policy H18 (Large-Scale Purpose-Built Shared Living), which Tiger Developments Ltd seek accord with. Under this policy, the GLA acknowledges that large-scale shared living attracts a sui generis use, is not currently subject to minimum space standards and is a form of development that “may provide a housing option for single person households who cannot or choose not to live in self- contained homes or HMOs”. Under this policy, affordable housing for co-living is sought as a payment in lieu equating to 35% of the units at a discount of 50% market rent. The policy does not currently allow for on-site affordable housing provision within co-living schemes.

 Although LB Hounslow’s emerging policy position does not support residential development within the Power Road LSIS, it does allow for the inclusion of appropriate ancillary non-employment uses (such as bars and cafes) within it to help attract the employment profile it wants for the Power Road area (i.e. creative, tech, SME industries). This aligns with its overall emerging vision for the wider Great West Corridor area, which is to ‘inject vibrancy’ and ‘urban life’ to the area through mixed use development. It is considered that co-living accommodation would be an appropriate complementary use to introduce to the LSIS as it would play a helpful role in supporting the employment profile the Council is envisaging (i.e. SMEs and creative industries), would inject vitality and activity in the area, and would not undermine the operational capabilities of businesses within the LSIS.

The Proposed Development – The Design

Massing Concept: Stepping block responds to emerging development and marks entrance into Power Road Estate

• Improved public realm onto Gunnersbury Avenue • Active frontages • Building mass marks entrance into Power Road Estate • Building mass steps towards lower buildings to the east, whilst height addresses emerging townscape to the west Ground floor plan

First floor plan

Second floor plan

Typical floor plan

Elevational Treatment

• Building design informed by industrial heritage of the site. • Traditional materials, found within Power Road Estate, such as red brick, metal cladding panels and perforated rainscreen used to clad building. • Weaving of materials through the façade represents historic fabric and wadding production on site. • Active frontages at ground and first floor level expressed within architecture

Building Materials

• Red brickwork, with expressed details such as chamfered reveals and soldier courses • Recessed grey metal cladding panels to break up façade • Industrial reference with use of perorated metal cladding panels • Glazed curtain walling at ground and first floor

Proposed building within emerging context