Twyford Abbey development approved by Ealing Plannng Committee despite overwhelming opposition from residents, and from the nearby primary school, local councillors, the GLA and Rupa Huq MP

 

 

The recording of the Twyford Abbey development application representations and discussion at Ealing Planning Committee can be viewed above.  The application to develop on Metropolitan Open Land, currently in private hands, was approved despite overwhelming opposition from residents, and opposition from two ward councillors, the GLA and Rupa Haq MP.  It involves the loss of 157 mature trees and 7 acres of protected woodland.

 

Brent borders the site and some Brent residents registered objections. However, Brent Council was consulted and had no objections.The planning committee's  decision will now go to the GLA.

 

 Twyford Abbey and the South Lawn

 

The GLA had commented on strategic issues:

 

Land Use Principles
The proposal does not meet the exceptions of paragraph 149 of the NPPF and constitutes inappropriate development on MOL which is, by definition, harmful. A full public benefits package is required to determine whether ‘very special circumstances’ exist to outweigh the harm to MOL and any other harm. Confirmation is also required as to whether the loss of the extant school permission is considered acceptable in terms of being in a borough of identified
need, or other social infrastructure.

Urban Design/Heritage
The proposal would result in harm to the grade II listed Abbey, with a degree of harm to the walled garden and St Marys Church which will need to be weighed against the public benefits including those related to the restoration of the historic buildings. This exercise will be undertaken at Stage II referral once the additional information is provided (including views) and a full public benefits package is
available.

Other Matters
Also required are a London Plan (2021) compliant fire statement and consideration of pedestrian access to the North Circular as well as further information/revisions in relation to housing, affordable housing, transport and sustainable development.

Planning Officer Response: Noted, and all above matters will need to be discussed with the GLA during the Stage II process and are included in this report.

 

 These are the 'Very Special Circumstances' put forward in support of the application. 

 

Rupa Huq MP wrote:

 

I am writing to register my concerns with the above application in relation to the repurposing of Twyford Abbey for residential accommodation and formally object.

 

I was pleased to get a look at Twyford Abbey recently courtesy of the developer. Whilst I grew up locally this was the first time I’d seen the historic Abbey buildings and got behind the gates. The setting is hugely impressive and I agree that something better should be done with it other than lying dormant.

 

However, I am very concerned about the impact that such a monster development proposal will have, both on the site itself, and on local residents in surrounding streets. The provision of some 326 new homes on a relatively small site represents a very dense development of unnecessary height including seven new blocks of flats, along with a terrace and other stand- alone homes, represents a significant increase in the built footprint of this primarily greenfield site.

 

This proposal is completely incompatible with the nature of the site and the surrounding two storey residential roads; and will adversely affect the outlook of existing homes and longstanding residents on Iveagh Avenue and Brentmead Gardens forever. Significantly this is also metropolitan open land i.e. quasi green belt. Under the London Plan, metropolitan open land is afforded the same status and protection as green belt and is expected to be protected from inappropriate development.

 

Current government policy dictates that nature should be left in a better state at the end of development processes than at the start and that we should be aware of carbon footprint. It is not clear to me that this is proven here when the application proposes the removal of some 100 mature trees, including trees subject to a Tree Preservation Order – at a time when people talk of offsetting by planting trees to contribute to the urban ecosystem. As well as an immediate loss of habitat and biodiversity locally, the value of the trees in offsetting air pollution from the adjacent A406 dual carriageway is significant to local residents. Furthermore, the loss of the trees as part of the outlook from existing properties would represent a loss of amenity for local residents.

 

Existing residents here anyway feel stuck in a no man’s land between Brent and Ealing with e.g. no doctor’s surgery. Such a substantial residential development and concomitant population growth in this area will place local services – which are generally limited in this area – under significant strain. There is insufficient parking proposed which I foresee difficulties with.

 

Some elements of the proposal are indeed eye-catching. I agree that the grounds should be opened up and the Abbey deserves better than to rot away. However, the explanation I sought on my site visit of balancing resident privacy requirements of what are being presented as exclusive residences and allowing the public to roam the green spaces is not clear in my mind. My worry is this will ultimately be a gated community. The proposed provision of barely one-third of units as genuinely affordable housing will mean that this development does little to assist with the affordable housing shortage in Ealing, and falls below the expectations of genuinely affordable housing provision of both Ealing Council and the Mayor.

 

Whilst obviously the developer is sensing pound signs in their eyes, I feel that there are better uses for this great site. I understand that there is for example extant planning permission in perpetuity for a school. This - with the public able to use the greenspace of the grounds at weekends - feels a more acceptable solution. There is precedent for this in Ealing e.g. with the very successful Ada Lovelace school. I know of at least one local independent school which is seeking to expand and there may be others.

 

In conclusion, while I feel there is a better use for Twyford Abbey than lying dormant I remain unconvinced that this proposal represents the best possible long-term, sustainable and sensitive solution for the future of the Twyford Abbey site that would safeguard the heritage and biodiversity of the site and provide real benefits to the Abbey’s neighbours.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Dr Rupa Huq
Member of Parliament for Ealing Central and Acton