Twyford Court -- Need your support
Hi FolksWe need your support if you can - need sensible objections and/or harrassment/ skirmishing action of the planning dept for a local planning application to Twyford Court.The matter is urgent - we're in contact with the Planning Officer - she is writing her Officer's Report as we speak and it looks like the proposal will be approved. This is really hard for us to understand, and to accept. So there are only days left - we are fighting to the finish line, marshalling our support and so we turn to you. We need Volume.Twyford Court (W3 9QE) on Twyford Avenue is close to Ealing Common and within the Creffield Conservation Area (CCA). It's a really lovely 1930's long two-storey building which manages to complement & totally fit in with the surrounding Edwardian & late Victorian streetscape. It has long & sleek flowing lines - it makes you smile when you look at it - you could say the designer of this building was talented. Twyford Court is singled out for significant praise in CCA Appraisal of 2007 (see below at the end of this post).It houses 16 decent sized 2-bedroom flats, with a variety of long-term residents - from young families to hard working professionals to older people - one of the residents has just this week given birth to a new baby, many people work from home, some are retired, etc. It has small but very pleasant gardens at front & back which are used extensively by the residents especially in the summer months.The proposal (230905FUL) is to add a third floor above the building to provide 5 one-bed & studio flats.https://pam.ealing.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=RR3VHPJMKHU00&activeTab=summaryIt will raise the height of the existing walls and provide a flat-top roof with balconies & dormers at the front. This will destroy the look of the building and turn it from sleek & harmonious & well-designed into stumpy, out of character & ugly. The word "naff" comes to mind - there are many more clinical decriptions of this heresy in the objections. This is harmful to an Ealing heritage asset.The proposal will significantly overlook the patios & gardens to the rear destroying the existing residents' privacy and will look directly across into the large classroom windows of the Japanese School London. At the front the balconies (where there are currently none within the CCA) will overlook the street and the children passing by every day, as well as into the windows across the street many of which are private bedrooms.There will be living rooms & kitchens above bedrooms below.They are proposing putting bike sheds for 39 bicycles in the rear garden turning a pleasant & much loved garden into a parking lot.There's much more ...If the proposal is approved by planning, once the works start it will be absolute hell for the existing residents. Building works with demolition then tons of banging & hammering, dust & all that goes with such works - will be going on directly above their heads - within inches. Ealing Planning will simply say "this is not a material planning consideration" - but then who at the council will give consideration to the existing residents, to existing residents of London Borough of Ealing? The answer is Nobody - in this way Planning just wash their hands of it, like Pontius Pilate.But what about the baby, the people working from home, the older residents? "Not a material planning consideration" This is a disgrace.You will see there are many objections on the council webpage for this proposal and not a single 'neutral' or 'supports'. Many really good objections covering all the bases. Now what we need is VOLUME. A Tidal Wave!I have nothing against "modern" I'm all for sensible development when it is needed but this is too much - and all for 5 poky 1-bed & studio flats?It makes no sense. But planning will approve it anyway.Unless we raise a stink. People Power - spread the word - get your objections in - call the planning officer.No ranting please - outraged is ok - sensible objections - firm & to the point.And I look foward to inviting you all to the celebration if & when the application is quashed - due to the tidal wave of people-power and their actions.You know that song "I fought the Law and the - Law Won" -- by the Clash?Well if we win we will sing: "We fought the Council and - We Won"Thanks for listening.Now Go Get 'Em. (Please)Steven-----Creffield Conservation Area (CCA) Appraisal -- March 2007 Not a massive document but depsite having a great deal to cover, it still manages to find space to single out Twyford Court with the following comments:-- Twyford Court is a handsome lowrise 1930s set of flats in a toned down Art Deco style. While the designer did not take architectural cues from the surrounding buildings, the quality of the design and respect showed for the surroundings means that it does enhance the area.-- Due to its later vintage and individual style, this building stands out from the rows of Edwardian houses in Creffield. However, it also stands as an example of how such differences in appearance do not necessarily result in a jarring visual effect or a loss of character in the area. This building’s low-rise design and soft tones add to the rich suburban mix.
Steven Pawlyk ● 342d11 Comments