A PLANNING application has been submitted for what could be West Drayton's biggest ever regeneration project.

Drayton Garden Village, as it has been named, would be built in place of the 32 acre former National Air Traffic Services Site in Porters Way, West Drayton.

The scheme has evolved following a comprehensive public consultation exercise by both Inland Developments Ltd and Hillingdon Council.
Worries from the community over lack of parking and too much social housing have been addressed and two thirds of the development will be taken up by houses and gardens.

A new medical centre, catering for those in the existing community as well as new residents, and an 80 bedroom care home have both been included in the scheme.

Stephen Wicks, chief executive of Inland Developments, said: "Inland have respected an important desire of the local community- a scheme which brought additional facilities to the area and improved the environment rather than cause them problems.

"The local community did not want to face another ministerial decision that went over the heads of local people and the local council."

In the spring, Inland circulated a leaflet to 6,200 homes in and around West Drayton to businesses in Station Road, West Drayton, and to businesses in Yiewsley High Street, inviting residents and traders to public exhibitions at The Bell Farm Christian Centre in March and April, and later in July.

The housing would be made up of a mixture of flats and houses with gardens, and there will also be children's play facilities.

There will be over 1,122 car parking spaces included as part of the scheme, and the medical centre would include doctors and dentists.

The avenues around the development would be lined with trees, linking into the town centre, encouraging people to walk and cycle rather than drive.

As part of the planning process, public comments on the application is being invited.

Last month, permission to use the site as a temporary overflow car park for Heathrow Airport was rejected by the council.

What do you think? E-mail dancoombs@trinitysouth.co.uk