Powerless councillors were told their hands were tied as they approved the transformation of two office buildings into small flats.
Two former Xerox offices were green lit for conversion into 61 one or two-bed flats at a Hillingdon Council planning meeting.
The council’s head of planning told councillors “your hands are tied” because of prior approval planning laws.
Two extra floors will be added to the three storey offices, which sit on a stretch of land between the Grand Union Canal and the River Colne, in Uxbridge, West London.
Hillingdon Council’s head of planning, James Rodger, told the committee: “We’ve done as much as we can basically, sorry if that doesn’t sound positive.
“On these prior approvals we can’t get affordable housing. I won’t go through all the things we can’t get, but there’s things we cannot get that we would in a full planning application.
“But we’ve sought… to get everything that we can, I think. For the public record, in effect your hands are tied on these, I’d go so far as saying.”
Riverview House before the planned development
(Image: Hillingdon Council)
Built in 2000, the former Xerox offices Riverview and Waterside House will both be converted into blocks each containing 22 one-bed flats and nine two-bed flats.
Committee chair Steve Tuckwell wearily kicked off the debate referring to “our old friend prior approval”.
Discussing fire safety concerns, the committee agreed to include the expectation that all materials should be brought to the planning department for approval.
Councillor Janet Duncan said: “We’re approving this and approving it in accordance with drawings, and those drawings, if they specify materials or ask them to use materials, we want them to be of a certain standard.”
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Mr Roger commented: “You’d hope any developer would apply common sense and wouldn’t submit anything that would fail building control regulations.”
Architects Patel Taylor wrote in their planning application: “This is an opportunity to holistically review and improve the appearance of the whole building, with an expectation for a planning application to be submitted in the future in relation to the appearance of the ground to second floor.
“This will result in an attractive prospect for future residents.”
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