Ealing Council grants planning permission for high density residential development

The proposal is for demolition of the existing buildings and construction of 578 new homes, 30% of which will be affordable housing, retail and office space and community facilities such as a health centre, a crèche and community spaces.

According to the planning committee's report, "the site is located within the Old Oak Common Opportunity Area which has been identified as having a capacity to deliver 24,000 new homes and 55,000 new jobs." The Council has also identified the site as suitable for an intensification of mixed uses.

The proposed development has a density of 2,483 habitable rooms per hectare (hrh) which is significantly higher than the mayor's upper guideline of 1,100hrh. However, the mayor advises that "this guideline should not be applied mechanistically and outlines circumstances where exceeding this range can be acceptable" states the report.

For this development the transport connections, new homes, new jobs, design, private amenity spaces and public realm work support the delivery of "a higher density scheme on this site within this strategically important location".

Planning expert Victoria Lindsay of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com, said "Delivery of new homes and new jobs in this strategically important location within the Old Oak Common Opportunity Area is key and as such these proposals have been approved. 164 out of the 578 new homes are proposed to be affordable in the form of discounted market rent for a period of 20 years at various discounts ranging from 20% to 30% below market rents."

"In addition, an affordable housing review mechanism at two years has been agreed in principle to determine whether up to 35% affordable housing is viable if development has not commenced and at 80% practically complete. This provides some further guidance as to the approach developers may take to affordable housing and density at Old Oak Common. When adopted, the new Mayoral SPG on housing will of course be key in relation to future applications, " said Lindsay.