A controversial new 52-flat development in Uxbridge has been given planning approval, one and a half months after adverts first popped up for the homes.
Hillngdon Council 's planning committee approved Waterloo Wharf at a meeting on Wednesday 26 despite concerns from residents and councillors.
Reports of adverts for the homes surfaced in mid-September and residents voiced their confusion on Twitter, asking why they were posted before the scheme had council permission.
Latest Uxbridge news
Speaking at the public planning meeting in Uxbridge on Wednesday October 26, one member of the public said: “All the properties at the Waterloo Wharf site were sold at the launch.
“This means deposits were paid and contracts exchanged all without planning permission.
“How can this be ethical, particularly given the advice at the last meeting of the committee?
“I ask you to think very carefully about this.”
Councillors had previously met to consider this application on Tuesday October 4, but deferred their decision due to concerns over the height of the proposed building.
Planning officer discouraged adverts
At that meeting the council's head of planning said: “I just want to put on public record that we would never encourage developers to advertise schemes prior to them coming to the planning committee meeting.
“At the planning team we would never encourage them to do that and would actively discourage that.”
The application will see a four-storey building with 52 flats built on the Grand Union Canal at Uxbridge Moor, 10 minutes from the town centre.
Residents have raised concerns over the development's impacts on nearby homes, because of its height and alleged parking problems.
The application was approved by the planning committee with four votes to three, with one councillor abstaining.
Dale Wagstaff, managing director, Howarth Homes commented: “We were pleased to receive planning consent for Waterloo Wharf having worked diligently to meet all the requirements laid out by the local planners.
"The planning committee deferred their decision at the previous planning meeting to allow them to undertake a site visit which enabled them to visualise how the proposed scheme would significantly improve the overall architectural landscape.
"Following the visit, the planning committee unanimously agreed that the proposed wharf style design would be sympathetic to its prominent canal-side location.
“By granting the planning approval the committee have secured the delivery of a high quality building from Howarth Homes that will enhance this conservation area situated close to Uxbridge town centre.
"The sales launch for Waterloo Wharf was very successful last month and we now only have a few apartments still available to buy."
Keep up to date with the latest news in west London via the free getwestlondon app.
You can even set it to receive push notifications for all the breaking news in your area.
Available to download from the App Store or Google Play for Android now!
