Perceval House

posted in: Council, Planning | 0
Representatives of local community groups, including the Society, were given a presentation by the developers of Perceval House (formerly Galliford Try but now renamed Vistry) of their latest proposals for redevelopment of the site. The meeting revealed that the bulk and massing of the original scheme remains essentially unchanged. This consists of a 7-storey front ‘civic’ block with, on the ground floor, café space and the entrance to Council offices above, including a relocated library and customer services on the first floor.

There will be 6 residential blocks containing 477 homes (mostly one- and two-bedroom flats) of which 50% would be affordable. These blocks would vary in height from 6 storeys nearest to Craven Avenue to 26 storeys nearest to Longfield Avenue.  Ground floor uses overlooking the open central ‘piazza’ area would contain a mixture of offices, work-spaces and small retail units. Materials would mainly be brick, stone and terracotta-style red and green cladding with granite paving, together with seating and planters, in the central area. The front civic building would have a large glazed area with vertical bris soleil (shading) elements.

A further public exhibition will be held in the Ealing Broadway Centre on Thursday 6th February 3:30pm to 7:30pm and Saturday 8th February 10am to 2pm (next to the new post office and opposite JD Sports), A planning application is envisaged for March. As you will see from the illustration (view from the west) the new development would be very bulky compared with the existing built form and the proposed tower at the rear far higher than anything in the near vicinity, even in the so-called “office corridor” along the Uxbridge Road.

Although the Council’s Design Review Panel had few reservations about the design of the scheme, we remain concerned about the height of the tallest tower at the rear, and in particular its impact upon the Grade II listed Town Hall and neighbouring residential areas, the lack of setback from Uxbridge Road which the Council’s own planning policies specify and the cantilevered element opposite the Town Hall, as well as detailed issues relating to materials and vehicle access to the site. Given the positive attitude of the Design Review Panel to the proposals it is unlikely that the developer will respond positively to these issues.