Local people packed into the Isleworth Public Hall last night to listen to the presentation from Nathaniel Lichfield and Ptnrs. for the Northumberland Estate. Apart from which this meting should have been held a year ago and had to be pushed and pushed for it is fair to say there wasn't one supportive comment from the floor. The consultants could not have been more conscious that this is an extremely contentious issues and that local people from all over Isleworth were not impressed by the Duke of Northumberland's constant pleas of how hard up he is and how much he needs to spend on Syon House, notwithstanding the cool £32M raised by auctioning various treasures from Syon two years ago, and that's without the hotel, and commercial income from various sources added to it.
It remains to be seen if local councillors will have the courage to tell the Duke and his consultants where to go, the highway/traffic considerations alone are chaotic at the junction of Park Rd. especially. If the estate is constantly allowed to encroach on the area and in Syon park it will be the 'death by a thousand cuts' that did for the recent application in Teddington, thanks to an enlightened and sensible Judge.
Perhaps councillors should think on that local elections are just over a year away, now is the time to stand up and be counted and truly represent what the local people so clearly said they expect of them last night. |