Approval given for Brentford Community Stadium final planning amendments

The amendments were submitted to LBH in September 2017 by Lionel Road Developments Ltd and Kew Bridge Gate Developments LLP on behalf of Brentford Football Club and its development partner Be Living Ltd, and comprise changes to the stadium design and the Central Eastern and Central Southern residential sites.

The stadium design adjustments focus on operational efficiency with upgrades to the broadcast, lighting and media facilities to meet modern English Premier League (EPL) football and Premiership rugby standards. There are also refinements to the number and mix of seats, together with changes aimed at de-risking the construction process by making the stadium more compact and increasing accessibility with the insertion of a new road along the northern perimeter of the site.

The entrance to the stadium has also been enhanced to include a public square with commercial outlets, while the Brentford Football Club Community Sports Trust offices are now to be located in purpose-built facilities alongside the new Brentford Community Stadium. 

The first phase of the residential element of the scheme has been redesigned to fit better within the local context and the 487 new homes are a mixture of apartments to rent and buy designed to meet the housing needs of the local area.

Brentford FC and Be will now proceed to discharge a number of outstanding planning conditions and seek agreement to any revisions needed to the Section 106 Agreement outlining their obligations to LBH for this development. The GLA has indicated that the scale of the amendments proposed are such that the Mayor of London will not need to review this decision.

Cliff Crown, Chairman of Brentford FC, commented:

Matthew Townend, Managing Director at Be Living Ltd, said:

Conor Hayes, Chairman of Lionel Road Developments Ltd, added:

The stadium:

• Reducing the capacity from 20,000 to circa 17,250+
• Reducing the stadium footprint to introduce a new road along the northern perimeter
• Compressing the stadium 3m to the south (staying within the approved planning envelope)
• Converting the east and west stands to a single tier
• Lowering the roof form on the east and west stands
• Lowering the south stand by removing the top tier
• Providing more premium seats from1,800 to 2,930. This will strengthen an important revenue stream for the Club.
• Making it Premier League and Premiership Rugby compliant from day one – both by ensuring we have 1,500sqm of outside broadcast space, within the stadium itself, but especially also by upgrading the media, broadcast and lighting capabilities.
• Relocating the Brentford FC Community Trust Offices, Learning Zone and Hounslow Interim Education Centre together in one location alongside the stadium and in the ground and first floor of the Central Eastern building – to provide dedicated facilities that can be used 365 days a year.

The residential element:  

• Creating a new square, which will bring together the apartment buildings with the stadium creating a more welcoming entrance to the stadium and improving the experience for all those who will come to live at and enjoy the site. 
• New commercial uses on the ground floor of the residential buildings around the square which will make it somewhere people will want to come on non-match days.
• Re-shaping the look of the buildings to make them more in keeping with existing architecture in the local area.
• Revising the plans for the proposed new homes in Phase 1, in the Central Eastern and Central Southern buildings, creating a new square which knits the apartment buildings and the stadium together providing a proper main entrance to the stadium whilst the addition of non-residential uses around the square will make it someone people will want to come on non-match days.