Hillingdon Council's planning committee voted unanimously on Wednesday, October 14, to reject a proposal for nine flats at 90 Long Lane in Ickenham, overriding officer recommendations and national planning guidance. The decision marks the second refusal for the site, following a similar rejection in 2025, with councillors citing irreversible damage to the Ickenham Village Conservation Area.
Revised scheme still fails to satisfy committee
The latest application, submitted by Oracle Global Investments Ltd, proposed demolishing the existing house and constructing a two-storey building with roof space. The design included two 1-bedroom, five 2-bedroom, and two 3-bedroom flats, along with nine parking spaces and 20 cycle spaces. Compared to the 2025 version, the building was reduced by 0.2 meters in both width and height, a change that did not sway the committee.
Council officers had recommended approval, describing the scheme as a net benefit due to the provision of homes. Hillingdon Council currently cannot demonstrate a five-year deliverable housing supply, and national policy from April 2026 requires decision-makers to give “substantial weight” to housing schemes under a default presumption in favor of sustainable development. However, councillors rejected the idea that an unmet housing target should automatically override local heritage protections.
Councillor: 'Permanent harm for sake of 20cm'
Councillor Darren Davies argued that the minor size reductions did not address the fundamental harm to the conservation area. “The width is down by 20cm and the height is down by 20cm... so we've seen a reduction of 20cm... I don't believe that bringing something in by 20cm is a substantial change that's equivalent to changing your belt lock by bringing it in once,” he said.
Davies noted the committee had refused the site twice before, in April 2024 and May 2025, for the same reason. “Tonight's scheme is in substance the same building - 20cm narrower and 20cm lower. That doesn't overcome the harm we've identified... Eight flats doesn't outweigh permanent harm to the conservation area,” he added.
Residents' association voices concerns
Jill Dalton, speaking on behalf of Ickenham Residents’ Association, expressed disappointment at having to defend the area again. “Our conservation area properties are typically individual houses in large spacious plots. The erosion of these qualities in favour of bulky flat developments is not generally what our residents wish to see and especially not their neighbours who will lose privacy and be subjected to noise and disturbance,” she told the committee.
All councillors present voted against the plans, and the application was refused. The decision reinforces the council's stance on protecting the character of the Ickenham Village Conservation Area, even as housing targets remain unmet.
