Policy information sourced from the Hounslow Local Plan Part 1

TC2 - ENSURING THE FUTURE VITALITY OF TOWN CENTRES

Our approach

We will promote the regeneration of our town centres, with a particular emphasis on Hounslow and Brentford, linked to the broader regeneration in these locations. We will support the vitality and viability of centres, and promote them as places that provide a diverse retail, service, business, cultural and leisure offer.

We will achieve this by

  • Promoting the regeneration of Hounslow town centre, with reference to the Hounslow Town Centre Masterplan. This will promote the town centre as a shopping destination and include the redevelopment of remaining key development sites including the High Street Quarter as a focus for retail, leisure and entertainment growth, including a vibrant evening economy. Improvements to the public realm and opportunities to improve access and linkages between the existing High Street and retail areas, and the High Street Quarter will be sought. In addition, enhanced links to sustainable transport nodes and hubs will be encouraged, particularly to Hounslow mainline station to the south and Hounslow Central and Hounslow East London Underground stations to the north;
  • Promoting the regeneration of Brentford town centre to fulfil its role as a District Centre. This will include: encouraging an appropriate increase in retail floorspace, leisure and cultural uses; reconnecting the High Street with historical assets and waterside environments; improving links from Brentford to the Great West Road, including business networking opportunities; and improvements to the public realm;
  • Supporting a re-visioning of Feltham town centre, to build on recent development and consolidate its role as a District Centre through the preparation of an area specific Local Plan review. This will include retaining the existing level of retail floorspace, increasing the leisure and entertainment offer to encourage evening activity, and improving the public realm and opportunities for sustainable travel;
  • Sustaining and consolidating the range and quality of shopping provision in Chiswick town centre. An appropriate variety of nonretail uses, which are not over-concentrated, will be supported, to maintain the centre’s diverse roles in terms of shopping, the evening economy and business activity. Links with businesses and offices located at the periphery of the centre will be encouraged, to ensure opportunities for business networking within the centre are maximised;
  • Supporting the expansion of retail floorspace particularly in Hounslow and Brentford town centres to ensure they meet their place in the town centre network;
  • Recognising town centres as a place for business and networking, and supporting initiatives and enterprises that support this;
  • Encouraging and improving access to town centres by a choice of means of transport, particularly sustainable modes such as public transport, cycling and walking;
  • Ensuring that adequate car and cycle parking space is maintained in each town centre, and that new development uses the standards established in the London Plan; and
  • Promoting improvements to local centres, by supporting businesses, access and public realm improvements to enhance local character and identity.

We will expect development proposals to

  • Contribute to the regeneration of the respective town centre, consistent with the spatial strategy and policies set out in the Local Plan, and guidance developed to improve the performance of centres, including the Hounslow Town Centre Masterplan.

Supporting facts

Regeneration and redevelopment of town centres

Hounslow

Regeneration in Hounslow town centre will involve promoting redevelopment of key sites, such as the High Street Quarter, as a focus for retail, leisure and entertainment growth. A new market and performance space is being developed at the western end of the High Street. Improving the public realm and connections with transport nodes will also be key to the Hounslow town centre’s regeneration. New residential development will support town centre regeneration. The Hounslow Town Centre Masterplan sets out these proposals.

Brentford

Redevelopment in Brentford includes expanding retail, leisure, entertainment and cultural uses on allocated sites to the south of Brentford High Street, promoting the relocation of Waterman’s Arts Centre into Brentford town centre and providing a new market square in front of the old Magistrates Court. It will also involve significant new residential accommodation, enhancing the public realm, connecting and improving links between the High Street, the River Thames and canal, and promoting opportunities for sustainable movement, particularly from north to south, from the river through the town centre to Brentford station and the Great West Road.

Feltham

Following redevelopment this centre is seen to have a relatively good retail offer, including a range of convenience and comparison shops. It also contains a variety of services such as banks, a library and health centre. The leisure and entertainment offer of the centre need improvement, to promote activity in the evening and night-time. Sustainable movement and travel is a particular issue with traffic pinch points which constrict access to the centre. Links therefore need to be improved and sustainable transport promoted, both in terms of public transport and to maximise links and benefits of the green infrastructure network, such as Longford River and Feltham Green.

Chiswick

Chiswick is a vibrant centre containing a variety of town centre uses, with established local character. It does not contain any substantial development sites, and therefore consolidation and enhancement is encouraged, alongside careful management to maintain and protect retail uses while continuing to enable diversity in parts of the centre that contribute to its success.

For more information please see the Hounslow Local Plan Part 1