TW8's Population Set To Increase By 40% in a Decade


Call to action from Brentford Voice to help shape area in time of rapid change

Huge amount of new homes being built in the Brentford area
Huge amount of new homes being built in the Brentford area

Local campaign group Brentford Voice is urging TW8 postcode residents to get more involved in shaping the way their area develops after it revealed the full scale of the changes ahead.

According to data published in its latest newsletter, over the next ten years the number of homes in Brentford is likely to increase by 40% to 20,900.

The comes on top of two previous decades of growth at a breakneck speed. Between 2001 and 2011 the number of homes increased by about 31% and between 2011 and 2021 the increase was 23%, to about 14,900 homes.

The housing “target” for the next 10 years for the whole of the Borough of Hounslow is about 1,800 homes per annum and Brentford’s contribution to this target will be about 33% of the total. In 2021 Brentford’s population is estimated to be about 12% of the Borough total.

Brentford Voice says, “We very strongly believe that growth at these levels must be accompanied by investment in physical and social infrastructure. This must go beyond the relatively narrow remit of land use planning to embrace all those facilities that will strengthen the community that is Brentford.”

The group is planning to hold a series of ‘local conversations’ to understand best how people living in the area would like to see the huge changes in the area managed.

Concerns are expressed about future issues with public transport and it is believed that funding is unlikely to come forward in the near future for projects such as the Brentford to Southall rail link to Crossrail and the West London Orbital railway from Hounslow, via Brentford and Acton, to Hendon and West Hampstead. Brentford Voice believes that major developments in Brentford East and in Osterley have been permitted with no more than very marginal improvements to public transport provision.

It says, “We believe that there is a pressing need in Brentford to improve connectivity between the Great West Road and Brentford High Street. This must include improvements to bus services and to cycling and walking provision along north south routes such as Ealing Road, Boston Manor Road/Half Acre and Syon Lane.

“We strongly support improvements to cycling and walking routes, and initiatives to reduce through traffic in Brentford High Street. We continue to press for the building of two bridges, from The Ham to Syon Park over the canal and from Ferry Quays to Brentford Gate on the Kew side of the Thames.”

Its Environmental Vision seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Brentford from domestic housing, industry and transport to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. Brentford Voice says that major new developments should be net zero-carbon and this must include secondary emissions from construction, as well as energy use post-construction.

On leisure and culture it anticipates many challenges saying there is great uncertainty regarding the future of the Watermans Arts Centre. Following the grant of planning permission for the redevelopment of the existing site for housing, it is understood that LB Hounslow are currently in negotiations with developers to explore the financial implications of a new arts centre on the old police station site in Half Acre.

Planning for a Brentford Canal Festival in June of this year was almost complete. However, this was another casualty of Covid but now Brentford Voice fully intend to hold a Canal Festival in 2022.

It is also applying for funds from LB Hounslow for the establishment of a Waterside Heritage Trail, extending along the Thames National Trail from Kew Bridge.

Although it has set out a framework under which it would like to see Brentford developed, it acknowledges the need to include as many people as possible in the process saying, “We are aware that we need to engage more effectively within our community and to be more inclusive. Therefore if you are concerned about the changes that are happening and coming to Brentford, which we’ve outlined in this Newsletter, and want to have a say on the future of where you live we would very much like to hear from you. Please get in touch in the first instance by emailing us at info@brentfordvoice.co.uk”

 

Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More

This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism.

Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets.

We’ve always done that and won’t be changing, in fact we’d like to do more.

However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do.

We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area.

A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site.

One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute.

If you do support us in this way we’d be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor.

For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you’d like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site.

 

October 1, 2021