Author: Cyril Richert
In its Planning Committee meeting (September), the Council has approved the redevelopment of the site along Grant Road (Griffon House & Lanner House 6 Grant Road SW11) involving demolition of existing buildings and construction of new building between 6-11 storeys to provide 452 self-contained studio rooms for use as student accommodation (for use of post-graduate students of Imperial College London) together with associated car and cycle parking, landscape treatment, amenity space, access and servicing facilities.
I met with the developers in August (read HERE).
The minutes of the Planning Committee meetin state:
“The Committee agreed that Councillor Mrs. L. Cooper – not being a member of the Committee – could speak on the application relating to Griffon House and Lanner House, Winstanley Road (2009/2279 – pages 92 to 103). In respect of this application, the Committee noted that a petition signed by 28 residents objecting to the proposed student accommodation had been received immediately prior to the meeting and that it was possible that further pages of additional signatures had not been received by the Council because of strike action by postal workers (post-meeting note: further pages including 14 additional signatures were received following the meeting).
Arising from the Committee’s detailed discussions on the application it was decided (by 6 votes to 1) that the recommendation set out in the report be adopted, subject to deletion of condition 21.”
Condition 21 says:
“Before the development commences a “sustainability statement” shall be submitted to and shall be approved in writing by the local planning authority.”
Thanks for this Cyril. Whilst I can understand the opposition of the people who live in those houses, from the point of view of a nearby resident it is nice to see a sensible and proportionate development for that area, which has always seemed underused to me, especially after the fiasco of the “twin towers”. I wonder if Kite House will be changed as well?
I totally agree with the developers and Imperial on the car spaces issue – no way that people based 3 miles from the campus should be encouraged to own a car and keep it there, but the “car club” provision is a great idea to help them out when they need it.
As for the nature of the residents, I wouldn’t worry too much. Imperial students tend to be a bit dull and are worked very hard! But it should be good for local businesses – presumably the Peacock on Falcon Road will become a regular haunt for a few of them!