Planning Update – October 2025
No. 1 Aldensley Road, on the corner of Iffley road, was the former home of Harry’s corner shop, then became the popular Brackenbury Village Dry Cleaners – and now a recent refurbishment and redevelopment has stripped the house of its charm: provision for retail use has disappeared, with domestic frosted glass windows replacing the old shopfronts, and all the external brickwork has been repointed with wholly inappropriate white mortar – and there are many other changes which appear to stray from the November 2023 planning approval. LBHF are now on the case: following BRA contact in August, planning enforcement officers investigated, and have now instructed the owner to rectify the non-compliant works identified. Formal enforcement action would follow if a satisfactory response is not received.
Since our last update, 12 Wellesley Avenue (the former Aston Martin garage) received consent in July for residential redevelopment: a 3-storey terrace with 2 two 6-bed houses and one 4-bed house, and a single storey 2-bed house at the rear – an ingenious plan for a difficult site . This is such an improvement on the first planning application in 2017, which suggested an 1,800sqm office building which would have been wholly inappropriate for this intimate residential street. The outcome of this 7-year battle is testament to the efforts of BRA and the residents of Wellesley Avenue, in parallel with LBHF Planning – empowered by Conservation Area planning policies -and a long-suffering developer.
At the old fireplace shop 108-116 Glenthorne Road, construction is soon due to start on the September 2024 approval for the enlargement and conversion of the terrace to make a small hotel with a street-side café.
And further afield…
Our Town Hall: the new Civic Campus on King Street is expected to open at last in Spring 2026. The original Town Hall building has been wholly refurbished, restoring the special1930’s details whilst transforming the accommodation to create a place for everyone to use. At the heart of the Campus is Unity Square, spilling on to King Street with a landscaped setting for the surrounding new flats (private and affordable), offices, start-up studios, shops and cafes – and the renovated Town Hall.
Shepherds Bush Market on Goldhawk Road is soon to be restored and refurbished alongside the redevelopment of the Old Laundry Site, which sits behind the east side of the Market, providing new offices, research facilities and affordable flats. This is an imaginative scheme which brings new life and utility without compromising the historic character of this unique Market. Planning consent was issued in August 2024.
Still further afield ….the extensive redevelopment of the Olympia Exhibition Site is now nearing completion. A very ambitious and imaginative scheme which retains and refurbishes the wonderful Grand Hall and National Hall exhibition spaces, together with the fortress style facade to Hammersmith Road. Using the site space available around the Halls ,the scheme brings an array of new facilities including a west-end class theatre, a 4,000-seat music performance venue, two hotels, 60,000 sqm of offices, a cinema, and arcades of shopping and restaurants up at roof level.
A wonderful dose of 21st century for Hammersmith.
Planning Report – June 2025
Romanian Consulate: The entrance to the Romanian consulate has been moved to Glenthorne Road. We are unsure whether this is temporary or permanent – watch this space.Glen HouseThe application for the permitted development by Romulus for conversion of the top two floors at Glen House was refused and is being appealed.
The Triangle: There is a new phase 2 application in relation the Triangle. A June 2025 planning application refers to proposed landscaping and new access provision to the roof of the existing building, which appears to be an uncontentious minor development – and which suggests that the wholesale redevelopment is on a back burner. We shall see.
Harry’s Corner Shop / Iffley Rd Dry Cleaners: There are changes afoot with the conversion of the old dry cleaners into a residential property. We are currently reviewing the adherence to Planning Applications.
Planning Report – March 2025
Projects trundle slowly on through the planning process, occasionally nudged by community comment. Two further applications for permitted development change of use from office to residential, reflecting the falling demand for sub-prime office space.
Glen House 22-24 Glenthorne Road: February 2025 application for confirmation of permitted development status for conversion of upper 2 floors of ground+4-storey block on corner of Hammersmith Grove and Glenthorne Road. Meeting with LBHF 3 April arranged by HGRA will also address 26-28 Hammersmith Grove as below. (2025/00225/PMA56)
The Aircraft Factory, Cambridge Grove: March 2025 application for confirmation of permitted development status for change of use, from office to residential use providing
76 units: 44 1-bed, 18 2-bed, 10 3-bed, 4 4-bed. Application under review. (2025/00713/PMA56)
26-28 Hammersmith Grove: substantial residential development proposed to replace the earlier hotel development scheme, which won consent at planning appeal in October 2022. Revised proposals following a meeting with LBHF and the developer late 2024 offer little improvement, and include 4 residential blocks of 5,8,12 and 14 floors respectively. Further discussion required with LBHF.
2 Queen Caroline Street: planning application submitted for a 14 storey block next door to the Irish Cultural Centre, providing 179 student rooms and supporting facilities, with community space at ground floor likely accommodate library space and a public café for the Irish Cultural Centre. Comments in preparation following recent meeting with the developer team. (PA 2024/03210/FUL)
12 Wellesley Avenue: planning application submitted for a residential development of 3 houses with a further detached house at the rear. Our further, third, comment letter to LBHF 10.3.25 supports the proposed parking arrangements – favourable but non-committal response received from LBHF. (PA ref 2024.02699/FUL)
Grove House 27 Hammersmith Grove: July 2024 planning application still in process for the conversion of the existing office building to a hotel with a work-hub and coffee bar at ground floor available for public use. The scheme could bring a welcome asset for the neighbourhood; there are concerns at the impact of traffic servicing the hotel on surrounding residential streets, and the need to minimise the disturbance from noise, light spillage and overlooking from hotel activities on the Overstone Road houses in very close proximity at the rear. (PA ref2024/01586/FUL).
Ravenscourt Park Hospital: further drawings recently submitted include amendments to transport arrangements and improvements to the external elevations of the new block adjacent to Ravenscourt Square.
Richard Winterton, Planning Co-ordinator, 26th March 2025
Planning Report – August 2024
In and around Brackenbury:
Flora Gardens School renewal: the school has moved, on a ‘temporary basis’, to the former Lena Gardens School buildings after a £1M renovation for the new occupiers. The future of the Flora Garden school premises remains under review.
Grove House 27 Hammersmith Grove: planning application validated at the end of July for conversion of the existing office building to provide hotel accommodation for ‘local workers and visitors’, with a work-hub and coffee barat ground floor available for public use. BRA comments to be submitted shortly. The scheme appears to provide a welcome asset for the neighbourhood; our comments will include (i) taking the opportunity to ameliorate the impact of the existing condition where the rear of the building is within 7 metres of the rear of the terrace houses of Overstone Road, and (ii) minimise the impact of any increase in traffic on Hammersmith Grove. BRA comments to be submitted shortly. (PA ref2024/01586/FUL).
26-28 Hammersmith Grove (behind 32-62Hammersmith Grove terrace):
Following the residents’ May 24 meeting with LBHF and the developer (arranged by BRA) we understand revised proposals are in preparation taking into account the neighbourhood concerns.
Hotel scheme application was allowed at appeal. Developer has since proposed are vised scheme of 200 residential flats in four blocks prompting substantial concerns about scale and bulk and impact on the residential terrace, discussed at inconclusive meetings with the development team. LBHF have responded to BRA and HGRA request for a meeting with the developer, which took place on May 24: after lengthy and unproductive discussion pointing out the residents’ concerns about the scheme, repeating issues raised at previous consultations, the developer and architect finally acknowledged the possible shortcomings, and agreed to explore alternative approaches to the scheme. We await their further proposals.
12 Wellesley Avenue (the former Aston Martin garage):
No movement following the residents’ May 1 meeting with LBHF and the developer (arranged by BRA) noted below.
Approved commercial scheme remains unpopular with residents. Developer has proposed an alternative residential scheme now agreed in principle by the residents: the scheme is a far better fit for this residential street, but the developer considers the viability is dependent on street parking permits for each new house. LBHF responded to BRA and local residents’ request for a meeting with the developer which took place on 1 May. The meeting confirmed to LBHF the residents’ strong preference for the residential scheme; LBHF acknowledged the significance of this local opinion, and referred to their pre-app comments which confirmed, we understand, the planning viability of the residential scheme; LBHF reiterated pre-app advice that the parking facility, tho’ contrary to policy, could be allowable if agreed by the planning committee.
The developer is now considering the options: with the long and costly planning history of the project he is reluctant to proceed to planning without reasonable certainty of a positive outcome; informal chat after the meeting revealed that the commercial scheme was ready to proceed with a full pre-let, but with covid the tenant was lost and the commercial market has faded.
Further afield:
LBHF Town Centre SPD (Supplementary Planning Document): formally adopted by LBHF 6.8 24.
LBHF Town Hall and Civic Campus: project construction continues. Residential accommodation due for completion later this year. Overall completion date to be confirmed.
76-80 Hammersmith Road (western end block of the group of black office buildings on the corner of Hammersmith Road and Brook Green) – no change to previous report: proposal by developer MRP to convert and expand the building to provide 420-bed hotel and provision of offices and life-sciences laboratories. From initial details this appears to be a good scheme and a welcome replacement of the lifeless office building. Planning application due to be submitted later this year.
Hammersmith Bridge: Stabilisation works continue and require a number of 24-hour closures of the bridge during September and October 2024. The carriageway is due to re- open to cycles in April 2025. Planning application for the Foster temporary bridge scheme yet to be submitted and understood to await DfT formal approval of the business case.
L’Oreal building 255 Hammersmith Road (corner of Hammersmith Road and the Broadway): No change to previous report: planning application awaited for the wholesale renovation of the building with 2-3 additional storeys at roof level. The structure and general outward appearance of the existing building would be retained, with modifications to upgrade the environmental performance of the building to exceed current standards.
King Street & Marks and Spencer – no change to previous report: it is understood a revised scheme is in preparation, taking into account the LBHF SPD (Supplementary Planning Document) for the Town Centre.
Ravenscourt Park Hospital – no change to previous report: planning application validated.11.23 for refurbishment and extension of the former hospital for residential use, and redevelopment of the north block site for part residential and part care-home use. (2023/03129/FUL): comments submitted are generally favourable except for alterations to Block A (facing Ravenscourt Park) and ill-fitting proposals for the new block towards Ravenscourt Square.
190-194 Goldhawk Road: – no change to previous report: PA in progress to develop the existing, approx 120M deep x12M frontage light industrial/vehicle storage site to provide an apartment block fronting Goldhawk Road, and mews development at the rear. Comments submitted to LBHF: elevation to Goldhawk Road too high and a poor fit in the streetscape, detail problems in the mews housing at the rear regarding access, privacy and external amenity space.
Avonmore School, Avonmore Road- no change to previous report: planning application to redevelop the school site with new school premises and residential development providing affordable and market accommodation. Comments submitted include concerns regarding the commercial development of school land, and the overall bulk of the buildings proposed. Ref 2023/03051/FR3 validated November 2023