MORE homes are needed in Hounslow town centre to help eradicate 'no-go zones', business leaders claimed this week.
Hounslow Chamber of Commerce, which represents hundreds of firms across the borough, has called for a radical re-think of council plans to regenerate central Hounslow.
The organisation has previously attacked council proposals as 'unimaginative' and, in an exclusive article for the Hounslow Chronicle, president Mirtha Medina this week laid out an alternative vision.
She wants the council to focus on improving the High Street and attracting big-name retailers rather than creating a new shopping centre on the council-owned car park opposite ASDA.
She believes that space, long ear-marked for development, should instead be used for housing and leisure facilities, including a cinema and restaurants, to help boost Hounslow's night time economy.
In January, Legal & General Property, which already owns the Blenheim Centre overlooking the car park, announced proposals to develop the four acre site.
Its initial plans, backed in principle by the council, include a cinema, up to 20 shops, and restaurants, but limited, if any, housing.
The Blenheim Centre already contains nearly 500 flats but the chamber believes more housing is needed to help populate the town centre and make it safer at night.
Writing for the Chronicle, Ms Medina said the chamber was keen to work with the council to produce an alternative strategy for the future of Hounslow town centre.
She warned that existing proposals had been rushed through and could put up to 4,000 jobs at risk.
"We believe there is a real alternative to the council’s masterplan," she wrote. "Do we need a new shopping centre in competition with the existing High Street?
"Let's make what we have work better. And then let us attract new uses to the town centre - more leisure, more restaurants, more residential – so we create a vibrant and viable town centre."
She added that the chamber was working on a detailed alternative strategy, which it is due to publish within the next few weeks.
Stephen Fry, chief executive of the chamber, said it was important to build more town centre housing in a bid to reduce the number of 'no-go zones' where crime is rife.
Councillor Ruth Cadbury, Hounslow's cabinet member for planning and regeneration, said the council was keen to work with the chamber on plans for Hounslow town centre.
She said its own plans already contained much of what the chamber has called for but added that there was a need for larger, more modern shops which could not be accommodated in the High Street itself.
MIRTHA Medina, president of Hounslow Chamber of Commerce:
Hounslow Chamber of Commerce, the borough-wide voice of business, is a firm believer in business-led regeneration, undertaken in partnership with Hounslow Council. We believe it must be bold, achievable and sustainable.
This is not something that can be achieved overnight. It takes time to get it right and must involve the things that matter – people and their businesses.
That is why we wish to work with the council to review and improve its current mMasterplan and ensure the expertise of the private sector is heard.
We have an alternative vision that is being prepared to put to the council and for publication over the next few weeks that will present a viable alternative strategy, in both the short term and the longer term; from improving what we have and making it better to creating a town centre that will create jobs, improve safety, and benefit the community.
We propose the council makes an immediate start by sensible use of the London Mayor's Outer London Fund, which, in partnership with some of our businesses, could be made to go even further.
We can act now to make some real improvements. We need to remove the High Street clutter, improve the shopping environment and create change for the better. And we need the council to lead on this now.
We can, without a masterplan, make the town centre attractive and accessible to existing Hounslow residents – a safe, happy and joyful place to shop, relax and enjoy. Indeed, we can have a town centre of which we can all feel proud.
We estimate there are almost 500 businesses, big and small, in Hounslow Town Centre. Many of these are family firms, run by local people, employing local residents.
If we do not get it right there are possibly some 4,000 jobs which could be at risk, including many family businesses.
The consequences of getting it wrong by acting too quickly, on a masterplan that has not been publicly debated, are far too high a price to pay.
We believe there is a real alternative to the council's masterplan.
Do we need a new shopping centre in competition with the existing High Street?
Let’s make what we have work better. And then let us attract new uses to the town centre - more leisure, more restaurants, more residential – so we create a vibrant and viable town centre.
Councillor Ruth Cadbury, Hounslow's cabinet member for planning and regeneration:
I’m pleased the Chamber thinks the regeneration of Hounslow town centre must be bold, achievable and sustainable because that is exactly what we think.
I'm a little puzzled by some of the elements of their letter, which appears to be saying we don’t need a masterplan for the town centre, but then goes on to call for much of what is already in our masterplan – more leisure, more restaurants and more homes.
People also told us during the consultation that they wanted to see more mainstream retailers in Hounslow, complementing what they have now. This is planned for car park between the High Steet and the Blenheim Centre. This way we will keep existing customers and attract many more. Hounslow will be vibrant and varied, with a mix of well-known names, smaller shops and independent businesses.
We've already begun to make the improvements to the high street which the letter mentions, such as starting to get rid of clutter, providing street performance space and new market stalls. People will see these improvements come in over the coming months.
If the Chamber has ideas and alternatives, then we’d like to see them now, not in a in few weeks time, which would give us more time to consider them and work in partnership with them as they suggest.
To say that some 4,000 jobs would be at stake if we don’t get this right is not the way to build confidence about the future of Hounslow’s economy. The real risk to jobs would be if we don’t proceed with plans for the larger, more modern shops with better access which simply can't be accommodated in the existing high street. It is also misleading to state we haven't consulted when we did so extensively and included the Chamber and its members in that consultation.
