A vacant animal welfare facility in Hounslow is set to become flats after the council gave the green light to plans last night (June 11). The former RSPCA centre at Burket Close, Norwood Green, will be demolished to make way for the new flats. The site has sat empty since the charity closed its facility in September 2020.
The development will feature three interconnected residential blocks ranging from three to five storeys in height. The scheme will provide 66 market rent flats, predominantly made up of one-bedroom and two-bedroom units, alongside a smaller number of three and four-bedroom family homes.
The ground floor will feature green glazed brick at the main entrances and a widened two-metre pedestrian footpath to improve the street along Burket Close. At the heart of the development will be a communal courtyard with a children's play area, raised planting beds, and outdoor seating for residents.
Notably, the current proposal does not include any affordable housing. A Financial Viability Appraisal (FVA) submitted by the applicant and reviewed by the council's independent consultant concluded that delivering affordable housing on the site is currently not financially viable. As a result, the council has recommended securing a "late-stage viability review" through a Section 106 agreement. This mechanism will reassess the project's finances upon completion and secure a financial contribution towards affordable housing if the developer's profit margins improve.
The proposal has faced some pushback locally, with 27 objections submitted by residents. Objections highlighted the loss of the animal facility, fears of overdevelopment, increased traffic on the narrow access road, and concerns about the building's height causing a loss of privacy and light for neighbours. Safeguarding concerns were also raised regarding the adjacent Wolf Fields Primary School.
In response to the feedback, the developer reduced the overall number of units from 69 to 66 and pulled the building further back from the site boundaries to provide more space for landscaping. To protect the privacy of the primary school, developers have incorporated angled screening to block direct views into the school grounds, which is separated by a distance of more than 40 metres.
Some residents raised concerns that the development will impact their property values. However, council officers noted this was not a planning consideration. The development will use individual heat pumps for heating and hot water, alongside up to 60 solar panels on the roof. While a few existing trees will be removed, the developer plans to plant 45 new trees.
The plans were waved through by the Hounslow Planning Committee with only Councillor Guy Lambert of the Green Party voting against.
