The final planning application for the former West Ruislip airbase was approved at the north planning committee on December 23.
The local residents who were broad-ly in agreement with most of the proposals were very unhappy with the decision to allow flat roofs on the flats adjacent to the High Road, between West Ruislip Tube station and Aylsham Drive.
A Dutch Barn type roof design with a steep tiled face would still have allowed for accommodation on the top floor even if slightly smaller than previously, and still had flat roof space behind to allow for solar panels.
Neither the councillors on the planning committee or the chairman thought to ask the architect how many flats would be lost; if they had the answer would probably have been none.
The suggestion for pitched roofs was also strongly supported by the councillor, John Hensley, who argued that flat roofs were out of keeping with the rest of Ickenham and divided the development into two separate areas rather than integrating into the rest of Ickenham.
The chairman did not consider this to be a valid reason, which was not surprising since, at the outline planning application, he had already labelled the existing Brackenbury Estate as of poor quality housing.
This is the most important planning decision for many years in Ickenham and should not have been rushed through.
The chairman appeared to be not even listening to the submission by Rachel Moore for the Residents' Association, and had to be reminded that she was speaking and stopped her sharply after five minutes. He then allowed the developers extra time to finish their presentation.
At the chairman's summing up, he suggested that fitting pitched roofs would mean reducing the number of flats, which would have to be fitted in elsewhere on the site.
This may well not have been correct since the architect was not questioned on the matter.
I feel that this planning committee is losing its credibility.
Perhaps the Standards Committee should examine whether members are up to the task.
DAVID FENTON,
Aylsham Drive, Ickenham.
