The Mayor of London made a final decision on 23 May 2024 on tower block plans for the Homebase site in Manor Road after taking over the application from Richmond Council. He granted the developer’s application. The development will see the building of 453 residential units in tower blocks up to eleven storeys high to include 173 affordable housing units and retail and office space at lower levels. Thirty four of the ‘affordable’ units are designated for shared ownership, which as has previously been pointed out, may not be easy for Richmond residents.

Provision has to be made for 849 cycle parking spaces, 817 for residential users and 32 for commercial use. This appears to assume that the vast majority of residents will be cycle and not users, consistent with borough and GLA planning.

Many North Richmond residents are thought to be unhappy with the decision or the process leading to it. Their councillors have asked the Council to take legal advice about the possibility of taking judicial review proceedings to challenge the decision. While local concern may primarily be about the height of the tower blocks judicial review requires a finding that the procedure, such as adequate failure to consult, was defective.

Is it not ironic that a scheme which would boost the affordable housing numbers is opposed by the Council but the scheme at the Mortlake Brewery which has only 7% is supported?

Is it not ironic that North Richmond councillors leap to the support of their residents on this application while East Sheen councillors are silent on perhaps far greater devastation to be visited on their area?

Is it not ironic that no-one seems to have given adequate thought to the cumulative effect on local infrastructure and traffic of developments at Homebase, Barnes Hospital and the Mortlake Brewery?

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