Brentford - A Vision for Hounslow's Town Centres - London Borough of ...
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Brentford
Online engagement
February 2021
A Vision for
Hounslow’s
Town Centres Allies and Morrison
Context for the vision
Why are we creating these vision Economic performance and
documents? strategic challenges
CK
WI
IS
• We want our town centres to evolve, • Hounslow has shown strong economic
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thrive and innovate in order to meet performance in recent years and prior to
TFORD
current and future challenges, but we the COVID-19 pandemic it was the third E
N
BR
must strive for more. A modern town fastest growing London Borough.
centre can play its part in mitigating LOW
NS
• The longer term impact of the COVID-19 U
climate change, economic inequality
HO
pandemic is still emerging, however
and even social injustice. All the while,
the borough is expected to continue
we must never lose sight of existing
to perform well and grow into the
town centre communities and adapting
future. There are a number of strategic HA
M
to welcoming new ones. We want to LT
challenges that will shape future
FE
support grassroot community projects
economic growth across the town
and strong public-private partnerships,
centres within the borough:
attracting investment and funding.
• The future of air travel and Heathrow
• By creating these documents for Airport
Hounslow, Feltham, Brentford and • The changing nature of retail
Chiswick town centres, we can build • The impact of COVID on leisure
a plan, based on all the stakeholders’ • The evolving nature of workspace
ambitions, and support the right kinds • Demand for industrial and distribution
of developments. By having a vision in space
place we will be better placed to attract • The impact of Brexit
investment and funding to make the • Changes to the planning system
plans happen. including Permitted Development and
Use Classes.
• This document sets out a set of draft
themes to identify the future priorities
• These strategic challenges will have
for each town centre - do you agree with
differing impacts on the four town
these ideas?
centres across the borough.
Borough-wide priorities
Providing flexible town
Delivering the Climate Improving residents’ Creating attractive and
centres and economies
Emergency Action Plan health and well being well-designed centres
that work for everyone
• Establish our centres as part of the • Invest in our towns’ open spaces to give • Recognise the fantastic heritage of • Adjust our town centres to respond to
‘15-minute city’ with shops, jobs and people decent access to nature, with our town centres and celebrate this changing shopping patterns, with a
services accessible in 15 minutes on a range of spaces including growing by raising the profile and providing greater mix of cultural, community, work
foot, by bike or public transport. space. information on these. spaces and homes alongside shops.
• Improve local walking and cycling routes • Incorporate activities for all ages in • Explore lighting opportunities for • Support local markets and explore pop-
and infrastructure to support this. centres and spaces such as play, landmark buildings within our centres. up shops in empty units. Establish
running routes, gyms and skate parks. click and collect facilities in centres and
• Green our town centres to provide shade • Ensure that new development responds
dedicated areas for takeaway drivers.
and drainage and improve air quality • Improve access to waterways near the to the character of our town centres,
and biodiversity, making use of green centres, and make these waterside with planning applications looking • Invest in the public realm to make our
roofs, walls and SUDs. routes safe and comfortable. beyond their site boundary at the wider town centres places to meet and spend
context. time, aside from simply shopping.
• Make new town centre homes highly • Improve access to and raise the profile
energy efficient and factor in the of community services in our centres. • Encourage creative reinterpretations of • Support small businesses through
embodied carbon of existing buildings Create sociable centres with gathering our traditional Georgian, Victorian and flexible and affordable space that can
when considering redevelopment. spaces - outdoor seating, pop-up spaces, Art Deco buildings. encourage collaboration.
markets and open library areas.
• Further develop our recycling schemes • Explore opportunities for events that • Support connections between our local
for town centre businesses, homes and • Support residents to walk and cycle for celebrate the craft, making and historic business and education establishments.
in public spaces, to keep waste down short journeys and invest in the public industries of our town centres.
• Partner with creative and engineering
and our town centres clean and tidy. realm to make these trips more pleasant.
• Make our town centres comfortable and business in the borough to provide
• Design new buildings to be adaptable • Work with the network of amazing attractive places for people to walk and internships and job opportunities for our
over time so that they can respond to community groups operating across our spend time, with public spaces and young people.
changing habits and their embodied town centres. greenery.
energy is not wasted.
Brentford
Big ideas for Brentford
1 A creative centre of
production and
making
2 A balanced town
centre for all 3 Celebrate
Brentford’s
historic character
“A well placed
museum would
be great, there
is such a rich
Explore opportunities to integrate the Cater to existing and new residents Raise the profile of Brentford’s history”
Creative Enterprise Zone and draw with a good mix of daytime and Georgian, Victorian and industrial
on Brentford’s industrial heritage and evening uses for all ages and provide heritage and forge stronger
current creative energy opportunities to bring the community connections with nearby landmarks
together “Preserve the
Example projects might include: Example projects might include: remaining older
• Providing a range of workspaces for SMEs
Example projects might include: buildings as
• Showcasing Brentford’s landmark commercial
to support the Creative Enterprise Zone, • Supporting and expanding the market
buildings such as old Town Hall space or
including reusing existing buildings. with a range of products for the whole
and Carnegie Library with lighting. homes”
community and the proposed market
• A town-wide museum trail raising Improving links to Syon, Gunnersbury
beneath the M4 in Boston Manor.
the profile of Gunnersbury Park and Boston Manor House.
Museum, Museum of Steam and Water, • Finding a new local home for the “Less flats
Musical Museum, with marketing and Waterman’s Art Centre, with a possible
• Retaining as many of Brentford’s historic and more
building as possible and adapting these infrastructure
collaboration opportunities. move to the old police station site.
in future for new uses. to support
• Better connections to/from businesses on • Cluster shops, cafes and community a growing
• Providing guidance on new development
the Great West Corridor, so workers can uses on the high street, with a potential community”
and how this can provide a design
use Brentford town centre in the evening. new evening venue at refurbished St
led, contemporary take on Brentford’s
Lawrence’s Church.
• Building collaboration between CEZ historic typologies.
“Make it
businesses, University of West London • Providing good walking and cycling
• Celebrating the history of craft, making, personable
and West Thames College and providing links from neighbourhoods to shops and
rivers and canals through a heritage trail with small
intern/job opportunities for young people. services, with safe crossings.
and/or a programme of events at local shops, cafes,
• Protecting existing maker and artist • Making sure the centre is comfortable, venues, Market Place or Brentford North green spaces”
space at Johnson’s Island, Boston Manor safe and appealing for all ages. Exploring Piazza.
House and the Lots Ait Boatyard. opportunities for community pop-ups in
Market Square and in empty buildings.
Big ideas for Brentford
4 A waterfront
town centre 5 Greening
Brentford 6 Integrating
Brentford “Nice seating
areas with
plants etc,
cafes, bars
Reconnect Brentford with its waterfront Establish a network of green and open Improve links between the town centre
and shops”
identity, through better river front spaces within the town and better links and key destinations and between
paths, activity on the waterfront and to large open spaces nearby. Reinforce distinct neighbourhoods. Establish the
better public spaces Brentford’s distinctiveness through town centre as a place rather than a
planting through route “A strong link
Example projects might include:
should be
Example projects might include: Example projects might include:
• An attractive, safe and continuous made between
Thames River Path that connects to the • Investment in St Lawrence’s churchyard, the high street
• Developing better walking and
River Brent and canal. This could be part Waterman’s Park, St Paul’s Recreation and the river”
cycling links between and through
of a heritage trail. Ground as Brentford’s key green spaces.
neighbourhoods, particularly north of the
• Providing a mix of activity fronting the • Better walking and cycling links to high street.
water - traditional industries, canal boats Boston Manor Park, Gunnersbury Park
• Establishing the high street as a town “Riverside and
and pubs; new cafes/bars; and parkland and Syon Park, possibly with a new
and wetland. River Brent footbridge.
centre, not a through route, through gardens are run
public realm investment and signage. down, dirty and
• Waterman’s Park as a priority project, • A new nature reserve at the former rail disconnected”
• Better links to key destinations such as
to transform this river front space, with line to the west of Commerce Road with
the station and community hub, CEZ
planting and community facilities. learning and volunteering opportunities.
and community stadium.
• Better signage towards the waterfront, • A network of green spaces of different
• Better crossing facilities across the A4 to
and investment in Brentford’s historic sizes and character, including growing
link to the CEZ and neighbourhoods to
lanes and yards connecting the High spaces and incidental plans.
the north.
Street and the water.
• Bringing nature into the town centre,
A programme of events celebrating • Encouraging people onto bikes and on
with street tree planting, green roofs and
Brentford’s role at the confluence of the foot by considering the parking strategy
walls, SUDs, and a toolkit for community
Rivers Thames and Brent, with learning for the town centre.
groups to revive local spaces.
and volunteering opportunities.
Example projects
Island Gardens, Isle of Dogs Peckham Levels /Hangar, Denmark Ghent Light Festival
Island Gardens on the Isle of Dogs is a linear Peckham Levels took an existing multi-storey Ghent celebrates its significant built heritage every
Thameside park which has seen investment in car park and retrofitted this with affordable co- few years with a light festival that showcases
tree planting, benches, a cafe and public picnic working and maker space; leisure and craft groups; historic buildings and spaces and provides
tables and is well used by local residents. Similar community space; and cafes and bars, making interpretive information on the city’s rich history.
linear Thames parks exist at Victoria Embankment use of rooftop city views. Brentford’s buildings Brentford’s Georgian, Victorian and Art Deco
Gardens and Whitehall Gardens. Waterman’s Park such as the former Wilson and Kyle factory could buildings, along with its significant infrastructure
could be similarly transformed into a valuable support similar uses. Alternatively, light structure and Thames heritage could be celebrated in a
community space with planting, seating, play workspaces could be established at empty sites similar fashion, with input from local community
space and community space. and relocated as development takes place. groups.
Relevant big ideas Relevant big ideas Relevant big ideas
Your vision
The plan on this page summarises some
of the key spatial priorities for the town
centre. Over the next few weeks we will be
refining these plans and ideas using your
feedback.
Please fill in the Citizenspace
questionnaire and let us know...
• How supportive are you of each of the
priorities for the town centre?
• Which themes/priorities do you think
are the most important for Brentford?
• What do you think is the priority project
for improving the town centre?
• Can you think of any projects that would
be quick or easy to deliver to improve
the town centre in the short term?
• Have we missed anything that should
be emphasised in the vision?
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