Could a 21-storey tower proposed by Tesco be dangerously close to Heathrow?

That was among the questions posed yesterday by visitors to an exhibition about the retail giant's plans to build 265 homes beside Hounslow bus garage.

The answer, said representatives from Tesco's subsidiary Spen Hill Developments, is no, but they admit the idea briefly had them worried.

"One woman said she was the manager of the Blenheim Centre (the block of flats above ASDA) and claimed the developers were told they couldn't build any higher there because it was on the approach path to Heathrow," said a Spen Hill spokesman.

"We asked (Hounslow Council) that question at the beginning of the process and were assured there was no problem in terms of the height. We did the research ourselves and can't see a problem."

Tesco's proposed 68 metre 'Ventana' tower, containing 91 flats, would dwarf the 38 metre Blenheim Centre, and that was unsurprisingly the most divisive element of the scheme.

Some people said they liked the striking feature, which Spen Hill has described as a 'gateway' to the eastern end of Hounslow High Street, but others thought it was ugly and would set a precedent for more high-rise buildings in the town centre.

The 267-home development would include 141 parking spaces, all but 22 of which would be underground. It would be mostly flats, but would include 61 duplexes and 22 four-bedroom town houses, with private gardens.

The developers said there was a 'strong likelihood' the convenience store on site would be a Tesco Express, though this has yet to be confirmed.

Depending on the results of the initial consultation, Spen Hill plans to submit a planning application as early as next month. Should the plans get the go-ahead, it says the flats could be ready in as little as two years.

* An exhibition about the plans, at which experts are available to answer your questions, continues at Holy Trinity Church, in Hounslow High Street, today (Friday, April 4), from 2pm to 8pm, and tomorrow, from 10am to 1pm.

* You can see the plans for yourself here.

PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THE PLANS

* Anthony Agius, of Isleworth, said he was pleased about plans for more housing in the town centre but concerned about the height of the tower.

"I'm worried we will get wind diverted down the sides of the tower. I don't want west London to become like east London, which is full of high-rise buildings," he added.

* Dawn Homiah, a computer operator, of Hounslow, said: "I'm all for regeneration and I like the look of the plans, though they could do with a bit more colour.

"However, I don't want the council to think it can just dump another 500 people in an already densely populated area and not provide more facilities, like schools, which are oversubscribed as it is."

* Chris Durkin, of the Hounslow Town Centre Neighbourhood Forum Group, said he was also worried the height of the tower would 'set a precedent' for more high-rise buildings in the neighbourhood.

* Bugsy Pankhania, a 39-year-old father-of-three, of Hanworth Road Hounslow, said: "It's a good idea. We need regeneration in Hounslow because it's lagging behind other towns in the area. There's a housing crisis and this will help people in Hounslow. I like towers and I think we need more tall buildings in Hounslow."

* Brendan Gash, of Hounslow, said: "I think it's a terrible idea. Look at how bad the ASDA development was. This is just as bad. The density's too high and the tower would dominate Hounslow. I don't have a problem with low density housing on the site but we don't need a tower."