MP Mary Macleod has met Communities Secretary Eric Pickles to urge an exemption to the new office-to-resi coversion rules for the business district.
The ‘Golden Mile’ is home to GlaxoSmithKline and JC Decaux among others, and has a clutch of art deco buildings such as the Gillette building.
Ms Macleod is concerned that since the area did not secure an exemption from the permitted development rights introduced at the end of May that allow owners of office accommodation to convert it into new homes that the area’s ability to attract major companies could be impaired.
Ms Macleod was recently named London’s new small business ambassador by the Prime Minister.
The council told the Hounslow Chronicle it was considering an Article 4 Direction – similar to that being considered by other councils such as Brighton and Islington – to prevent owners of offices on the Golden Mile using the new rights.
