The Planning Committee of Ealing Council met on Wednesday 17 June 2026, electing Councillor Dee Martin as Chair and Councillor Katie Douglas as Vice-Chair. The committee approved minor material amendments to a redevelopment at Smith's Farm in Northolt, reducing the maximum building height and improving internal daylight performance. They also granted full planning permission for the demolition of existing buildings at Collett Way Industrial Park in Southall and the construction of two new industrial buildings, which will provide flexible industrial units and support local employment.

Smith's Farm, Northolt

The committee approved a minor material amendment to the planning permission for the redevelopment of Smith's Farm¹ in Northolt. The approved development, originally granted permission in July 2024, includes 220 residential units, conversion of a locally listed farmhouse and barns to commercial use, and improved public access to Northala Fields².

The amendments sought to redistribute building heights across the approved scheme. Two blocks, part of Block C and Block E, would reduce in height by one storey, while another part of Block C and Block F would increase by one storey. Crucially, these changes would reduce the maximum building height from seven to six storeys, ensuring no High-Risk Buildings ³ remain under the Building Safety regime.

Officers stated that the amendments were necessary for fire safety design and would not substantially alter the development. The Urban Design Team confirmed that the amended roofscape would maintain sufficient variation and townscape quality, and would not harm the character or appearance of the development. Independent daylight and sunlight testing indicated an improvement in internal daylight compliance for the flats, from 83.9% to 96.8%, while maintaining acceptable sunlight levels in communal amenity spaces. The number of flats remains 220, with a slight shift from one-bedroom to two-bedroom units. No objections were received from local residents or statutory consultees, including the GLA⁴.

Councillor Miriam Rice raised concerns about building control assessments and the protection of parking outside the development. The officer clarified that building control is a post-planning permission process and that the height reductions were intended to simplify fire safety issues. Regarding parking, the original permission included provisions for a review of car parking controls and a parking management plan, with residents receiving free membership to a car club to reduce parking pressure.

Councillor Altsin inquired about the confidence in the development being built before the three-year deadline. The officer confirmed that construction had commenced, with ground floor shells visible, indicating the three-year time limit had been met.

The committee voted unanimously to grant the variation.

Collett Way Industrial Park, Southall

Full planning permission was granted for the demolition of existing buildings at Unit 2, Great Western Industrial Park⁵, Collett Way, Southall, and the construction of two new industrial buildings comprising five flexible industrial units. The proposal also includes ancillary office accommodation, servicing yards, car and cycle parking, and landscaping.

The site is designated as a Strategic Industrial Location (SIL)⁶, and the proposal aims to intensify industrial use in line with London Plan policies⁷. The new buildings will provide approximately 5,057 square metres of industrial floor space, with unit sizes ranging from 476 to 2,184 square metres. This represents a slight reduction in total floorspace compared to the existing building (5,257 sqm), but officers considered this acceptable due to the optimisation of site capacity, improved circulation, and modern, flexible units better suited to current market demand.

The design of the buildings, with a maximum height of 13.68 metres, was deemed appropriate for the industrial context and would not result in unacceptable impacts on nearby residential properties, which are located over 60 metres away and screened by trees. A noise impact assessment found no expected noise impact on residents during the operational stage.

Transport considerations included the provision of 46 car parking spaces, with 41 EV charging points, and 32 cycle parking spaces. Given the site's very low Public Transport Accessibility Level (PTAL)⁸, the car parking provision was considered acceptable. A Section 106 agreement secured contributions towards active travel improvements, including cycle routes and pedestrian footpaths in the surrounding area, and ongoing monitoring of car parking usage. The development is also designed to be zero-carbon, with solar PVs and a biodiversity net gain of over 20%.

Councillor Rice questioned the allocation of car parking spaces between multiple organisations occupying the new units. The officer explained that parking would be distributed evenly, with spaces located close to each unit, and that tenancy agreements would specify allocation. Concerns were also raised about power supply and the absence of backup generators. The officer confirmed that existing power supply would be used, and that solar panels would contribute to energy needs.

Councillor Mahmood sought clarification on the number of units, confirming that the demolition of existing buildings and construction of two new buildings, one with four units and one larger unit, would result in a total of five units.

The committee voted unanimously to grant planning permission, subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement and conditions.