A development in East Sheen is set to lose its planned commercial space to make way for additional residential flats, following a decision by Richmond upon Thames Council's Planning Committee. Construction has already commenced on site for the Clifford House development at 424 Upper Richmond Road West.
The committee has delegated authority to the Head of Development Management to approve the revised plans for Clifford House. The original permission, granted in February 2025, allowed for eight residential units and a ground-floor commercial unit. The new proposal increases the number of flats to twelve by converting the commercial space into two flats and extending the building's rear wing by approximately one meter.
Applicant Williams Property Group Ltd argued that the increased number of units was necessary to improve the financial viability of the development, as the previously approved scheme was deemed unviable. The original scheme was deemed unviable because its residual site value was significantly below the benchmark land value, showing a deficit of approximately £680,000. The council's independent review of the applicant's financial assessment supported this claim. The revised scheme improves viability by increasing the number of units, resulting in a reduced deficit of approximately £326,000. The revised scheme is projected to achieve an 11.2% profit margin, which is still below the usual 17.5% benchmark but strengthens the prospect of securing funding for completion.
However, the proposal faced concerns regarding the impact of the increased massing and width of the rear wing on neighbouring properties. Specifically, residents at 61 Clifford Avenue and 422 Upper Richmond Road West raised issues about loss of daylight, sunlight, outlook, and visual intrusion. While officers acknowledged this harm, they concluded it was not substantial enough to warrant refusal, especially when weighed against the benefits of delivering much-needed housing. Officers determined the 'substantial enough' threshold for harm by considering the degree of additional harm in comparison to the approved fallback position, the totality of harm versus benefits, and the NPPF's requirement to give substantial weight to brownfield land development unless substantial harm would be caused. While the additional harm is described as modest, the totality of harm is considered significant and bordering on substantial.
The loss of the 98-square-metre commercial unit was noted, but officers stated that the site is outside the East Sheen Town Centre boundary, and there was no strong policy basis to resist its loss. The site had also been vacant for over five years prior to the previous approval, with unsuccessful marketing efforts.
In terms of design, the Upper Richmond Road West frontage remains largely unchanged. On the Clifford Avenue elevation, the increased bulk at upper levels is offset by improved materiality and a stronger overall composition, with the Council's Urban Design Officer considering the current proposal a design improvement.
The development will be car-free, with the exception of disabled parking provisions. Cycle parking will be provided in compliance with standards. The scheme also incorporates sustainability measures, including a significant reduction in CO2 emissions and green roofs. Beyond CO2 reduction and green roofs, sustainability measures include the use of Exhaust Air Heat Pumps (EAHP) for ventilation, heating, and hot water, and roof-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) panels for electricity generation. The projected energy efficiency of the new flats is a 63.75% reduction in CO2 emissions beyond the Part L 2021 baseline, with an offset payment to achieve net-zero carbon. The scheme also aims for a maximum water consumption of 105 litres per person per day.
Despite objections regarding overdevelopment and visual intrusion, the application received 29 letters of support from local residents. The 29 letters of support highlighted the need for housing, improvements to the area, and the positive visual and housing number improvements over the extant permission. Notably, the owner of 61 Clifford Avenue, who had previously objected, withdrew their objections to the scheme.
The committee's decision to approve the application is subject to the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement and specified conditions, including those related to carbon offset contributions, a late-stage review mechanism, and parking permit restrictions. The Section 106 legal agreement will secure a carbon offset contribution of £11,250, based on £95/tonne, to achieve net zero. It will also include a late-stage review mechanism due to the scheme being assessed via the Viability Tested Route and not meeting affordable housing policy expectations. Additionally, it will secure parking permit restrictions, limiting residential occupiers to a maximum of four permits in any future controlled parking zone within five years of occupation. The parking permit restrictions will limit residential occupiers to a maximum of four parking permits in any controlled parking zone that may be implemented in the area within five years of the first occupation. This restriction applies to all residential occupiers, with the exception of disabled persons' parking provisions. This is in line with the extant permission.
Public reports pack Wednesday 18-Mar-2026 19.00 Planning Committee
