Issue - meetings

Formal Description: Demolition of existing Yiewsley Library Building and the erection of a new residential building on the Yiewsley Library site (Falling Lane) and the erection of a new mixed use building on the former Yiewsley Swimming Pool site (Otterfield Road), with a replacement library at ground floor level, residential uses above and new pedestrian access off of the High Street.

Detailed Description: Demolition of existing Yiewsley Library Building and the erection of a 5-storey residential building, comprising 50 dwellings, with 28 undercroft parking spaces (13 for residential and 15 for use by Rabbsfarm Primary School). The Otterfield Road site proposes the erection of a 5-storey building, comprising 45 dwellings, with 25 car parking spaces (23 for residential and 2 for library users).

Recommendations: Approve + Sec 106

RESOLVED: That the application be approved

Formal Description: Demolition of existing Yiewsley Library Building and the erection of a new residential building on the Yiewsley Library site (Falling Lane) and the erection of a new mixed use building on the former Yiewsley Swimming Pool site (Otterfield Road), with a replacement library at ground floor level, residential uses above and new pedestrian access off of the High Street.

Detailed Description: Demolition of existing Yiewsley Library Building and the erection of a 5-storey residential building, comprising 50 dwellings, with 28 undercroft parking spaces (13 for residential and 15 for use by Rabbsfarm Primary School). The Otterfield Road site proposes the erection of a 5-storey building, comprising 45 dwellings, with 25 car parking spaces (23 for residential and 2 for library users).

Officers noted that there was an addendum on this item, which contained changes to two key conditions.

A written representation from the lead petitioner was read out:

Thank you for the opportunity to present this statement in support of the petition.

Where is the evidence of Yiewsley residents saying we want more flats?

The opposite is the case. We counted the residential developments in Yiewsley. Since 2008, we estimate that 1,525 residential units have been built. There may be more. Hillingdon Council does not appear to publish a site map with the number of new residential units that have been built by ward for Council Tax payers to assess.

For a long time, residents of Yiewsley have felt they are ignored by Hillingdon Council. For example, in 2017 we organised a paper petition which said: “We formally request that Hillingdon Council provides funds to build and run a new swimming pool at the site of the old Yiewsley pool off Otterfield Road.”

Currently, the Leisure Centre which Hillingdon Council decided to build in West Drayton, a waste of Council Taxpayers’ money, is sitting as an empty building site with the company that was building the Leisure Centre having gone into administration. If the Council had accepted that Yiewsley residents’ petition proposal, we would have had a compact pool on the Otterfield Road site. It would have withstood the economic risks that the Ukraine/ Russian war have caused in terms of energy costs to swimming pools up and down the country. Residents could leave their children swimming in a safe small local pool and go shopping, in Tesco, Aldi, Iceland and had a cup of coffee and a custard tart in Alma Lusa café down the High Street.

I had a stroke in 2019 and have not attended today’s Hillingdon Council Planning Committee in person owing to ongoing health issues.

Accessibility of the Planning Documents

Since my stroke, as a Disabled person, I have experienced difficulties reading documents. I used to enjoy reading, mainly sci fi books, but find it very difficult to read long documents, especially ones that are online.

Most residents do not understand the Planning documents that have been posted on Hillingdon Council’s website.

We counted the number pages of the proposed Planning Application being  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19