Between new tower blocks and a state of the art theatre, Hounslow residents can expect to see a number of big developments coming together in the borough this year.

In partnership with a number of developers Hounslow Council intend to push forward with projects to build new homes and upgrade leisure facilities locally.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) takes a look at some of the biggest projects expected to make progress this year.

Holly House, Chiswick

A new 24-storey block of flats is expected to begin construction this year at Chiswick Roundabout. The development will feature 255 new homes, including 82 marked for affordable housing, which is 35 per cent of the flats built.

The ground floor of the block will contain 'flexible' office space and retail spaces which the council say could provide 433 local employment opportunities. The site is expected to generate 670 new jobs in total, including 23 apprenticeships during the three-year construction phase.

During the consultation phase a number of objections were raised by residents. These included concerns about the height of the block, increased traffic stress, and overdevelopment. The council argue the height is appropriate for the location, they say there is no evidence that traffic conditions would worsen, and believe there are few concerns of overdevelopment as this is a brownfield site.

In planning documents the local authority said: "Holly House will provide a much needed boost for Hounslow…the derelict site is in a most prominent position, and has been an eyesore in Hounslow for 30 years."

Churchill House, Brentford

In Brentford, two new blocks of flats are to be built at 114 Windmill Road. The site is currently occupied by a warehouse building which was separated into industrial units.

This will be demolished to make way for 74 new homes. Of these homes, 15 are designated as affordable housing, 10 of which will be available for social rent and the remaining five will be available for shared ownership.

The blocks will range between four and eight storeys, and will include car and bike parking, indoor and outdoor communal areas including a rooftop garden. The developer will make a payment of £83,000 into Hounslow's Carbon Offset Fund to compensate for the shortfall in on-site carbon reductions. They will also contribute £226,000 towards local healthcare infrastructure.

In consultation, objections were raised about the height of the building 'taking away from the feel of open space', safety issues for children walking on Windmill Road due to traffic, and construction harming local businesses. However the council believe these concerns are misplaced.

Brentford Arts Centre

Work is expected to begin on a new arts centre and 100 homes in Brentford by this summer at the old police station site. This follows the closure of the Watermans Art Centre in April 2024.

The arts centre will prioritise a new theatre hosting hundreds of people providing top notch acts, and a number of 'smaller more niche' spaces. At this stage it is unclear when the centre and homes will open to the public, however the hope is the construction will be swift.

In November, Councillor Salman Shaheen told the local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "We are currently seeing a boom in Brentford, and we want to shine a spotlight on that area. We hope the theatre will host a range of class acts, from comedy… to live music… to great touring theatre shows. We hope this will put Brentford on the map and become a national attraction."

Hounslow Council approved plans to release an additional £1.45 million to fund changes to design plans needed to make the building compliant with new fire safety regulations, in November 2024.

Hanworth Road, Hounslow

Redevelopment is set to take place at what was a dye works on Hanworth Road in Hounslow. A new Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) school and three blocks of flats will be built on the brownfield site.

The school will take 90 pupils, and the three blocks of flats, reaching five storeys, will have 124 flats, 35% of which will be affordable. The school will include sports facilities for community use, and the residential component will benefit from a green roof.

During the consultation phase, over 1,200 objections and a 20,000 signature petition were submitted focusing on noise, privacy and concerns from the Gurdwara (Sikh place of worship). To mitigate these concerns there will be acoustic insulation for buildings, and solid balustrade balconies to improve privacy.

Syon Lane, Isleworth

Hounslow Council is set to push ahead with plans to build 164 homes across five tower blocks for social rent at the former Homebase site in Isleworth this year. Costs have substantially increased following delays due to a planning review by the Secretary of State and regulatory changes.

There will be 54 one-bedroom flats, 65 two-bedroom flats, 40 three-bedroom flats, and five four-bedroom flats. These will be broken down into five blocks, one of which will be 16 storeys high. There will also be a new Tesco store on site.

Several concerns were raised in consultation about the design being out of character with the local area, and the height being out of scale with surrounding housing. The consultation events that took place over two years led to design changes, revisions to building materials and the addition of amenity spaces.

In December 2024, Cllr Tom Bruce, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Assets, Regeneration and Development, told the LDRS: "While costs have increased in line with the wider impact of the cost-of-living crisis on the construction industry, this revised sum has been carefully assessed to ensure it represents value for money for the council. At a time of unprecedented housing need, this dem