Planning chiefs will be considering three planning applications submitted by high street developers Ballymore for St Lawrence's Church, including a gymnasium and swimming pool.

The proposals to be considered at Hounslow Council's Planning Committee meeting on Thursday include:

• An application for a six-storey building (plus ground floor} of 18 flats, landscaping, public open space etc.

• Change of use of church, erection of a new building for health and fitness use, construction of swimming pool facilities etc.

• An application for listed building consent to change the use of the church to retail, business, and community and leisure use, and external and internal alterations to the listed building.

A chapel was established on the site in Brentford High Street by the 12th century and the tower of the church dates to about 1480, making it by far the oldest remaining structure in Brentford.

Community group Brentford Voice say they have records of 10,800 burials within the site between 1579 and 1968 and the actual total from the church's inception is likely to be close to 12,000.

It is estimated that the number of exhumations that will be required to build the block of flats will approach 200 individuals

Brentford Voice has called on the developers to treat those buried there with the utmost of respect.

The group has welcomed the restoration of the church but said it hopes that although the gymnasium will be a private facility, provision should be made for occasional use of the gym for community events such as a boxing club, dance studio, and exercise classes.

Brentford Voice has also raised concerns about the viability of the swimming pool and its design.

Commenting on the effects of the development on the church grounds, Brentford Voice said: "We welcome the proposal to incorporate headstones from the burial grounds within the boundary treatment.

"We will explore, with the applicant and other parties, our wish to return memorials to the interior of the church which were removed many years ago and have been sold or loaned to others.

"We would wish to see the provision of historical interpretation, through the installation of interpretive boards and monuments or statues, within the burial grounds.

"For example, we believe that such interpretation should apply to the dead from the Battle of Brentford, the Ronalds family, the many 'canal people' who are buried there, and the two Commonwealth War Graves."

On the subject of the church tower, Brentford Voice said: "The church tower previously housed a turret clock, a bell frame, and six bells.

"All of these items were removed between about 1952 and 1980. We would like to explore the possibility of installing a silent replica clock, using a modern mechanism, possibly on the east face of the tower.

"The positioning of a clock would have to be evaluated with reference to sight lines. We would also wish to explore the possibility of installing a digital audio system which would broadcast a recorded peal of bells on special occasions."

In notes that will be presented to the Planning Committee, Brentford Voice added: "We regret the loss of the vicarage and we do not welcome the building of the block of flats and swimming pool on this site.

"However, we reluctantly accept that those aspects of the proposals formed part of the applicant's original planning permission in 2015."

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