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Young planners to help Hounslow roll out growth plans

Written by: Jez Abbott
Published on: 13 Jun 2014
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Brentford FC aerial viewThe London Borough of Hounslow has taken on four young planners to help deliver its emerging local plan and tackle major mixed-use developments across the west London borough.

The four planners will cut their teeth on projects such as the Brentford stadium mixed-use scheme (pictured above), according to head of development management Marilyn Smith.

Other projects include a Brentford town-centre redevelopment involving 900 flats, a Hounslow town centre redevelopment and the Sky studio redevelopment in Isleworth.

The new planners are Gemma Bassett and Eamon Cassidy, who did year-out jobs at the borough as part of their degrees. Also new is Nesha Burnham and David MacFedyen.

Smith told Planning: “They will help senior planners on these big projects and handle smaller-scale householder work.

“We are working on the local plan - examination of which will start this August – and are working with the education department. All the new housing will need expanding school provision.

"Pressure for new development is unrelenting. We have high housing targets, need schools to place children and we need to create opportunities for employment for an expanding population. 

“This must be balanced against conservation areas and Thames frontage which need protecting. Town centres and areas of deprivation need regenerating, traffic and air pollution need controlling.”

She added: “It is part of our ethos to take on young planners: they have new ideas, are keen to learn and have good IT literacy. And they don't come with preconceived ideas about planning.”

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