London Square has been given the green light for a residential scheme on the former Greggs bakery site in Twickenham.
Richmond councillors last night overruled a recommendation by planning officers and voted in favour of the scheme, which will provide 116 new homes, with 58 affordable homes – 47 of which are London Affordable Rent homes.
An earlier application for the 2.7 acre derelict brownfield site, which has been vacant since 2018, was turned down in 2020.
Mark Smith, group development director at London Square, said: “Last night’s decision will provide 58 new affordable homes – almost double the overall number of affordable delivered in the borough in the past year. We applaud the local ward councillors who made representations to support the scheme and are delighted that the planning committee decided to listen to the local community, rather than be led by the advice of planning officers who were concerned about a loss of unviable industrial land. It is a victory for common sense.
“Planning policy is a snapshot in time and dates very quickly. The protection of industrial land post-pandemic in a residential neighbourhood is no longer appropriate for this site in a borough which has the highest proportion in London of home working – 58.75%. We look forward to delivering a new chapter for the site with a beautifully designed scheme.”
