Plans to turn the former Chiswick police station into a new retirement community have been recommended for approval.

Birchgrove, which manages a number of similar sites, is hoping to transform the former West London police station to provide 50 homes for the elderly, with a community space and garden also on the cards.

However, more than 30 objections were submitted against the plans, citing concerns from its proposed size to the impact on daylight for nearby properties, in a push for the scheme to be refused.

The former police station has sat vacant since November 2021. Final approval to sell the site was given by the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime in June 2021, and was one of a number of stations disposed of as part of a wider review of the Met Police's estate.

In Hounslow Council documents, officers wrote how the applicant had marketed the former station between September 2021 and May 2022, though there was no interest received for it to be put to community use.

Officers have recommended the application, due to be decided by Hounslow Council's Planning Committee next Monday (5 February), be approved by councillors.

Support has also been received from groups including Chiswick Flower Market, which expressed "unequivocal support for the new use of this building".

The market continued to write the retirement community "will allow older people to live in the heart of our community, within easy reach of all the shops and vibrancy offered by the High Road, including of course the markets".

Based on the city-wide London Plan, Hounslow has a target of 135 new specialist homes for elderly people per year. Since the plan was adopted in 2015, the borough has fallen short of these figures, making schemes such as the revamp of the former police station key.

Regardless, across two consultations, 36 objections were filed opposing the proposal, as well as local resident groups.

Among them was the Linden Gardens Residents Association, for reasons including the size and aesthetics of the proposal.

Honor Barratt is the manging director of Birchgrove, a retirement home company (credit: Birchgrove/YouTube).

Two Conservative councillors, Ranjit Gill and Joanna Biddolph, also submitted objections. Among other points, Cllr Biddolph raised the absence of any affordable homes included in the scheme, with Birchgrove to instead make a £400,000 contribution towards provision elsewhere.

Cllr Biddolph wrote: "Most Chiswick residents would therefore applaud Birchgrove for not building a socially divisive development that lacks affordable options but, instead, for embracing and welcoming a broad spread of the Chiswick community, regardless of ability to pay full whack."

Within the plans is space for a community centre, which the application notes will also be made available to police officers "for charging points for their body-worn cameras, iPads and walkie talks, while on-site in Chiswick".

In their report recommending the scheme be approved, officers wrote: "The proposal would comprehensively redevelop the site, making best use of the land, while preserving the wider character of the Chiswick High Road Conservation Area.

"The scheme would be consistent with the objectives of the Development Plan, delivering much-needed extra-care housing for the elderly, optimising the site by focusing growth at sustainable locations with good transport accessibility."

Honor Barratt, Birchgrove's Chief Executive, said: "We are very excited after waiting two years. There has been a massive process of consultation, but the residents of Linden Gardens have been so helpful making suggestions.

"I think they take the view that if anyone's going to develop the site, it might as well be us.

"My motivation is that I don't want old people to be shoved to the end of a cul de sac somewhere, I want them to be in the centre of things. I think this will be important to our oldies as a way they can contribute something to the ecosystem of Chiswick.

"We are in this project for the long term. Each of our communities is unique in its own way, but all share the same commitment to helping people live a long and happy life."

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