The two acre vacant plot at the northwest corner of Kew Bridge is known as the Scottish Widows site after the insurance company which was the last owner of the 1959 office block which occupied it for more than twenty years. The site was largely cleared in 1992 and it has lain vacant since then as developers, the public and Hounslow council argued about what to put there. Plans have been submitted to Hounslow for a development of 170 residential units and some shops, offices and restaurants as well as a new public open space down to the towpath and a new pub to replace the Waggon and Horses, currently on Kew Bridge Road, which would be demolished.
The plans are P/2008/1921 and P/2008/1922 and the officer dealing with it at Hounslow is George Murphy 020 8583 4968. Since they were validated on 19 June 2008 little progress seems to have been made. In particular Hounslow has not engaged in any public consultation.
With falling property prices, particularly for riverside flats, and the current credit problems it is possible the development will not go ahead in its current form.
The site was bought in 2003 by St George West London Ltd, a subsidiary of St George plc, a development company which specialises in residential development particularly on sites near the River Thames. Hounslow council, backed by local residents, rejected St George's first plan for the site which would have squeezed 238 residential units and some office and shop accommodation onto what was then 1.8 acres. For this second attempt St George commissioned architects John Thompson & Partners which conducted detailed consultation with the local community.
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Where is it? Location and footprint of the site |
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Will it fit in? Context of the site with its surroundings |
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What was there before? History of the site including an archaeological dig |