Goldhawk Road public inquiry
Tuesday June 1, 2010
A public inquiry about a controversial housing and business development is coming to an end this week but is likely to resume later this month.
Last September, Hammersmith & Fulham Council gave developers LondonNewcastle permission to build 57 new house and flats, along with eight new business units on the site of Goldhawk Road Industrial Estate. Councillors passed the scheme with a majority vote after a two-hour questioning of planning officers.
But some neighbouring residents have campaigned against the scheme, saying they fear it will cause traffic and parking problems, place new demands on local services and drive away local businesses.
The application was called in by the Department of Communities and Local Government and the Planning Inspectorate’s Olivia Spencer has been overseeing the inquiry at Hammersmith Town Hall since it began on Tuesday May 25.
It was scheduled to end tomorrow (Wednesday June 2) but it is expected that more evidence will be heard when the inquiry reconvenes later this month. The planning inspector’s decision is expected by the end of the summer.
Ms Spencer has been examining how the plans to build new homes relate to planning policy. She has heard evidence from members of Brackenbury Residents’ Association, council planning officers, Melanie Whitlock from the Hammersmith Society and planning consultants, DP9, who are working with LondonNewcastle.
A council spokeswoman said: “This was a particularly difficult decision. The planning committee gave very careful consideration to all the issues, taking account of local people's views. It was considered that there were insufficient planning grounds to refuse permission for this scheme in line with advice from planning officers.”
The scheme was debated at the council’s first-ever planning forum between developers and residents.
Smoothie-making company Innocent is among the businesses based on the estate but it is leaving the borough by the end of the year before its lease expires.
