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Brentford Towpath Closure


WJM

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I see the towpath in Brentford that passes under the overhanging warehouse is closed. The notice says it is due to a problem with the warehouse. Anyone know the full story? The detour route is massively long, must be over a mile through the streets of Brentford! 

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No, I passed it by river today. There is a structural failure where the two warehouses are joined. I hope this does not become an excuse to demolish and forget. I like to think that these two skeletal remenants are there to remind today’s architects of their heritage. Whatever replaces them must reflect what came before. 

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46 minutes ago, WJM said:

No, I passed it by river today. There is a structural failure where the two warehouses are joined. I hope this does not become an excuse to demolish and forget. I like to think that these two skeletal remenants are there to remind today’s architects of their heritage. Whatever replaces them must reflect what came before. 

Couldn't agree more, the new flats along the basin are hideous and to lose the last bit of history there would be a real shame. 

having been my view for nearly 6 years, I actually like the artwork as well. 

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On 15/08/2018 at 21:43, WJM said:

No, I passed it by river today. There is a structural failure where the two warehouses are joined. I hope this does not become an excuse to demolish and forget. I like to think that these two skeletal remenants are there to remind today’s architects of their heritage. Whatever replaces them must reflect what came before. 

A lot of us fought hard to retain at least the 'frontage' of the warehouses as a minimum, for precisely the reason you would like them to stay.

 

As the planning consent for the development specifically includes the retention and alternative use of these structures, any proposal to be rid of them entirely would involve a fresh planning application, which is hopefully unlikely. Only last month the developers filed an application over the 'reserved matters arising from the original consent, as -

 

"Reserved Matters application (relating to Layout, Scale, Access and Appearance of pedestrian/cycle bridge) submitted pursuant to planning permission 00297/R/P11 dated 23 March 2016 for "Amendment to the wording of Conditions 32 and 36 of planning permission 00297/R/P7 dated 08/10/2013 for The repair, restoration, conversion and extension of retained elements of the existing warehouse buildings to provide residential (C3), business (B1); waterside restaurant/cafe (A3/A4) and waterside leisure and community uses (D1/D2) with associated plant, servicing and storage. Retention of 'art deco' frontages to provide business (B1) uses. Redevelopment of bus depot to provide improved facilities. Redevelopment of remaining land to provide residential (C3), business (B1), leisure/community (D1/D2), restaurant/cafe (A3/A4) uses with associated landscaping, access, parking, supporting infrastructure and pedestrian/cycle bridge."

 

Plenty of ambiguity in the application wording unfortunately. This latest application is almost solely concerned with the proposed new cycle/pedestrian bridge linking the warehouses to Robin Grove, but one disturbing element is that, while all the pretty artist's impressions show the retained overhanging framework,  a descriptive paragraph on one says: "The new footbridge across the canal and a new public square, retaining one of the dramatic warehouse frames overhanging the water, will restore the waterway as the central focus of the masterplan and establish a new community hub, providing a much needed connection from the site towards Brentford Station."

 

It is that mention of only one of the two warehouses that concerns me - but I have not examined the new application compared to previous tweaks to the original conditions.

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1 hour ago, blackrose said:

Can anyone post a picture of what it looks like now? I left Brentford in 2010 when they started knocking down the old warehouses. I found a nice mooring on the Thames and never looked back. The basin must be like a deluxe apartment canyon now with flats on both sides. 

 It has been awhile since I took a photo of this end, but this is from early this year.

 

IMG_20180216_092510.jpg

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1 hour ago, blackrose said:

Can anyone post a picture of what it looks like now? I left Brentford in 2010 when they started knocking down the old warehouses. I found a nice mooring on the Thames and never looked back. The basin must be like a deluxe apartment canyon now with flats on both sides. 

From 2017

 

Capture.JPG

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I went by there in July. Like WJM says, the end of one roof, or to be precise the iron framework which once had a roof on it, has broken away and is sagging down, so I guess the towpath has been closed in case the structure fails more and falls on someone. It's round the other side from where Tim Lewis took his picture, maybe someone going by can post a picture taken from the canal which would make it clearer.

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4 hours ago, NigelMoore said:

 It has been awhile since I took a photo of this end, but this is from early this year.

 

IMG_20180216_092510.jpg

Thanks. It does look particularly horrible. Who designs this crap? Some architects seem to have no aesthetic sense at all. 

 

It's taken them a long time to get to this stage hasn't it? I left 8 years ago when the old buildings had already been levelled. So glad I didn't stay. 

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The development was always planned to be undertaken in 3 phases; we are now on the last stage, with 400 new flats.

 

 

plcommercerd001.jpg

 

This is the latest application for the footbridge, which still shows both warehouses, in skeleton form.

 

 

plcommercerd004.jpg

Edited by NigelMoore
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I suppose one has to be grateful that it was not worse. This was the garish ISIS (BW’s) vision for Commerce Road, which we thankfully defeated. With useless finger docks dedicated to BW’s favourite ‘business barge’ ideas of the time, the visitor mooring space would have been much reduced, and there was not even a token retention of the warehouse overhangs  –

 

 

aaa.jpg

And for the nostalgic, the way it was -

 

 

Brent.jpg

Document (11).jpg

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