Plans passed – but too close for comfort
Approval given for flats already sold
A CONTROVERSIAL new 52-flat development in Uxbridge has been given planning approval, one and a half months after adverts first popped up for the homes.
Hillingdon Council’s planning committee approved Waterloo Wharf at a meeting on Wednesday 26 despite concerns from residents and councillors.
Reports of adverts for the homes surfaced in mid-September and residents voiced their confusion on Twitter, asking why they were posted before the scheme had council permission.
Speaking at the public planning meeting in Uxbridge on Wednesday October 26, one member of the public said: “All the properties at the Waterloo Wharf site were sold at the launch.
“This means deposits were paid and contracts TJG1ST exchanged all without planning permission.
“How can this be ethical, particularly given the advice at the last meeting of the committee?
“I ask you to think very carefully about this.”
Councillors had previously met to consider this application on Tuesday October 4, but deferred their decision due to concerns over the height of the proposed building.
At that meeting the council’s head of planning said: “I just want to put on public record that we would never encourage developers to advertise schemes prior to them
Deposits were paid and contracts exchanged all without planning permission”
PERMISSION GRANTED BY JUST ONE VOTE: coming to the planning committee meeting.
“At the planning team we would never encourage them to do that and would actively discourage that.”
The application will see a four-storey building with 52 flats built on the Grand Union Canal at Uxbridge Moor, 10 minutes from the town centre.
Residents have raised concerns over the development’s impacts on nearby homes, because of its height and alleged parking problems.
The application was approved by the planning committee with four votes to three, with one councillor abstaining.
Getwestlondon has approached Howarth Homes for comment.