Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
Hayes North Telephone Exchange to be added to the Local List of Buildings of Architectural and Historic Importance.
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Democratic Services Location: Phase II DDI: 01895 250636 CMD No: 1522 To: COUNCILLOR IAN EDWARDS LEADER OF THE COUNCIL COUNCILLOR STEVE TUCKWELL CABINET MEMBER FOR PLANNING, HOUSING & GROWTH c.c. All Members of the Residents Select Committee c.c. Dan Kennedy , Corporate Director of Residents Services c.c. Antonia Whatmore, Residents Services Directorate Neil Robertson, Residents Services Directorate c.c. Ward Councillors for Hayes Town Date: 12 September 2025 Non-Key Decision request Form D New Addition Local List of Buildings of Architectural and Historic Importance - Hayes North Telephone Exchange Dear Cabinet Members, Attached is a report requesting that a decision be made by you as an individual Cabinet Member. Democratic Services confirm that this is not a key decision, as such, the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 notice period does not apply. You should take a decision on or after Monday 22 September 2025 in order to meet Constitutional requirements about publication of decisions that are to be made. You may wish to discuss the report with the Corporate Director before it is made. Please indicate your decision on the duplicate memo supplied and return it to me when you have made your decision. I will then arrange for the formal notice of decision to be published. Anisha Teji Democratic Services Title of Report: New Addition Local List of Buildings of Architectural and Historic Importance - Hayes North Telephone Exchange Decision made: Reasons for your decision: (e.g. as stated in report) Alternatives considered and rejected: (e.g. as stated in report) Signed ……………………………………………………… Date…………………….. Leader of the Council/ Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing & Growth Cabinet Member Report – 12 September 2025 (Part 1 Public) New Addition Local List of Buildings of Architectural and Historic Importance - Hayes North Telephone Exchange Cabinet Member & Portfolio Councillor Ian Edwards – Leader of the Council Councillor Steve Tuckwell, Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing and Growth Responsible Officer Daniel Kennedy, Corporate Director of Residents Services Report Author & Directorate Antonia Whatmore, Design and Conservation Manager Neil Robertson, Principal Conservation Officer Papers with report Appendix 1 - Evidence base for conversion potential of Hayes North Telephone Exchange HEADLINES Summary Hayes North Telephone Exchange to be added to the Local List of Buildings of Architectural and Historic Importance following further consideration of the building’s future operation. Putting our Residents First Delivering on the Council Strategy 2022-2026 This report supports our ambition for residents / the Council of: Enjoy access to green spaces, leisure activities, culture and arts This report supports our commitments to residents of: Safe and Strong Communities Financial Cost The Local List currently exists. The cost of updating the GIS and notification would be nominal and would be met from within Service budgets. Select Committee Residents Select Committee Ward(s) Hayes Town RECOMMENDATIONS That the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing and Growth: 1) Considers the report in Appendix 1 and approves the addition of Hayes North Telephone Exchange to the Local List of Buildings of Architectural and Historic Importance. 2) Instructs officers to notify all the owners/ occupiers of the addition of Hayes North Telephone Exchange to the Local List, and for officers to update the GIS database, the Council website and other sources to include the new entry. Cabinet Member Report – 12 September 2025 (Part 1 Public) Reasons for recommendation(s) Following Cabinet consideration in April 2025, it was requested that further information be provided to determine whether the building’s redevelopment potential is achievable should the building be Locally Listed. Alternative options considered / risk management The risk of not locally listing the building would leave this building a local destination unrecognised and vulnerable to insensitive development. It would not address the concerns of residents and would be contrary to the guidance previously agreed on this matter, which has been operating for the past 15 years. Democratic compliance / previous authority At the Cabinet meeting in April 2025, it was decided that the decision for any listing of the Hayes North Telephone Exchange would be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing and Growth in consultation with the Leader. It was requested that the decision to add the Hayes North Telephone Exchange to the Local List would require further information, which is set out in Appendix 1. Select Committee comments None at this stage. SUPPORTING INFORMATION Background 1. The Local List of Buildings of Architectural or Historic Importance was adopted in May 2009 following public consultation. 2. The Hillingdon Local Plan Part One Strategic Objective states that it is the council’s aim to “conserve and enhance Hillingdon’s distinct and varied environment al settings and the wider landscape. The Council will strongly support the retention of heritage assets.” Part 2 of the plan para 5.13 states that ‘any site or structure that meets the designation criteria can be added to the L ocal List, particularly if it can be shown that it contributes to the character of an area and is valued by local residents. 3. The Hayes North Telephone Exchange meets the criteria as set out in the criteria and scoring for inclusion on Hillingdon’s Local List of Buildings of Architectural and Historic Importance. 4. However, following consideration at Cabinet in April 2025, officers were asked to provide further information on the future status of the telephone exchange and its potential for conversion should it become operationally redundant. This is set out in Appendix 1. Cabinet Member Report – 12 September 2025 (Part 1 Public) Future Proposals 5. Openreach, the current owner of the Hayes North Telephone Exchange, has confirmed its intention to retain the Hayes North Telephone Exchange as an operational facility beyond 2030. As such, it is anticipated that the building will continue to serve its original function for several decades. 6. However, should Openreach decide to dispose of the property in the future, a supporting report (Appendix 1) has been prepared. This report provides an evidence base demonstrating that the site has development potential while preserving the distinctive architectural characteristics of the Hayes North Telephone Exchange. Conclusion 7. Further work by officers has determined that Openreach is planning to retain the building as a long-term facility. However, should the building be vacated , the report demonstrates that, notwithstanding any local listing, this building would have the potential to convert into an alternative use should Ope nreach take a commercial decision to release this asset to the market in the long term. Financial Implications As noted above the costs are nominal mainly updating the Council's website, GIS and notifying the owners. This can be met within existing budgets. RESIDENT BENEFIT & CONSULTATION The benefit or impact upon Hillingdon residents, service users and communities? The recommendations aim to update the Local List, so that due recognition can be given to buildings and structures, which make a positive contribution to the Borough’s local distinctiveness and appearance. Inclusion on the List would have no statutory implications for residents, property owners or other stakeholders. However, Local Listing is a material consideration when decisions are made on planning and other related applications. There is a broad consensus that a high-quality built environment has a positive impact on people's everyday lives. The qualities of the buildings and the spaces make the area unique and contribute to the sense of place in conjunction with the natural environment. It encourages people to connect and fosters an inclusive and cohesive society, and helps strengthen the identity and engender civic pride. High -quality built environments arouse interest and generate dynamics that help to attract investors, workers and visitors. Consultation & Engagement carried out (or required) Cabinet Member Report – 12 September 2025 (Part 1 Public) In addition to letters to the owners , notices were installed at the sites. An online survey was available for residents to fill in and in addition an email address was provided. This was supported by the corporate engagement team to insure visibility on the council’s website and relevant social media. The Hayes North Telephone Exchange had strong support to be added to the Local List with a 70% support rate. See April 2025 Cabinet Report for consultation results - 09 - REPORT Cabinet Report April 2025 - Local List - Democratic Services.pdf CORPORATE CONSIDERATIONS Corporate Finance Corporate Finance have reviewed this report and concur with the Financial Implications set out above, noting the recommendation to add the Hayes North Telephone Exchange on East Avenue in Hayes to the Hillingdon’s Local List of Buildings of Architectural and Historic Importance. Furthermore, it is noted the costs associated with this report will be in relation to notifying the owners, updating the Council’s website, GIS database, and can be met within existing approved budgets. Legal When the Council is deciding whether to locally list an asset in its area, the Council must consider several legal factors including The Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as well as local and national policies. The Council’s eligibility criteria for listing a building must also be satisfied. Once a building is listed locally it will be registered as a Local Land Charge. The special local architectural or historic interest of the asset is also taken into account when considering planning applications. Although there is no statutory duty in legislation for the Council to consult when making amendments to its Local List, the National Planning Policy Framework advocates for public consultation as being best practice. Similarly, Historic England also recomm ends that when Councils update their Local List, they undertake public consultation. Therefore, in the light of the responses from the public consultation conducted between 1 January 2025 to 12 February 2025, and the additional engagement with the public through affixing notices and issuing letters to owners, the Council must balance the concerns of the objectors against its aim to conserve and enhance Hillingdon’s distinct and varied environment settings and the wider landscape. BACKGROUND PAPERS None TITLE OF ANY APPENDICES Appendix 1 - Evidence base for conversion potential of Hayes North Telephone Exchange April 2025 Appendix 1 - Hayes North Telephone Exchange to be added to the Local List - Evidence base for conversion potential April 2025 Design and Conservation Team Introduction and site assets that benefit conversion of the building Openreach current long term intension for the Hayes North Telephone Exchange Openreach have stated that the Hayes North exchange is an enduring exchange and therefore is not part of the substantial exchange closures currently dated to take place in the 2030s. This is when the various legacy equipment is switched off due to it being completely replaced with the new fibre optic and other technologies reducing the need for physical buildings. We would therefore expect the Hayes North Telephone Exchange to have a number of decades of use as an exchange at the current site. Furthermore, officers have identified two successful conversion of post modern exchanges in Nottingham and Leicester. However, should the building be vacated this document provides an evidence base for the development/conversion potential. Introduction This document is an evidence for a delegated decision to the Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing and Growth with the Leader of the Council to add the Hayes North Telephone Exchange to Hillingdon’s Local Listed Buildings of Architectural and Historic Importance. Openreach have identified the Hayes North Telephone exchange as a long term asset to be retained. This report into the development potential has been informed by; The attributes of the building including, location close to the Hayes Town Centre, well windowed facades, floor to ceiling heights, and any elevation changes required that would conflict with the Local Listing; An analysis of the existing building layout for conversion by two ‘in house’ fully qualified architects; High level review of planning issues with Development Management; Access and Servicing; Parking; In house planner; In house Property Surveyor. Benefits of the building for redevelopment 1. Sustainable & Cost-Efficient Redevelopment Retaining the existing external structure with internal re-configuration would complete faster and at the lower cost than a new build project. This making conversion of the building a more attractive project to developers. Adaptive reuse reduces demolition waste and embodied carbon, and aligns with planning priorities. 2. Flexible Floorplans The size of the floor plans and structural grid enables easy subdivision or open-plan layouts ideal for modern office environments, flexible workspaces, or spacious residential units. 3. Structural Strength The original telecoms building were constructed for equipment loads. The structure is over engineered for residential or office use and can allow for vertical extension or rooftop amenity spaces. 4. Natural Light & Views The extensive windowed facades enable high levels of daylight penetration. This is ideal for comfortable, modern use (residential, office, or leisure). This reduces conversion costs and enhances wellbeing. 5. On-Site Parking Ground floor benefits from a generous amount of parking spaces, a valuable asset, especially in this dense urban setting. The parking would support a wide range of uses (residential, commercial, mixed-use). Further this space future-proofs the site for shifting mobility trends such as EV charging and bike storage. 6. The Brutalist Character This well preserved Brutalist building has a strong visual identity. This strong aesthetic serve as a landmark building in the townscape context, perfect for branding as a destination building for creative industries, residential lofts, or a flagship commercial space. Hayes North Telephone Exchange - Evidence base for conversion potential April 2025 Design and Conservation Team 1 Fig 1. Existing street view of the Hayes North Telephone Exchange Fig 2. CGI image of improved frontage Fig 3. Existing ground floor plan Ground Floor Hayes North Telephone Exchange - Evidence base for conversion potential Existing Condition The Hayes North Telephone Exchange ground floor benefits from a street frontage along East Avenue, a frontage addressing the public footpath on the western elevation and northern elevation facing the Botwell Green Sport and Leisure Centre. The existing ground floor accommodates approximately 62 car parking spaces and offices. Some of the ground floor offices are recent brick in fills and not part of the original building. See Fig 1. which shows the existing boundary fence and recent brick in fills to create offices at ground floor. Potential for Conversion The development potential is derived from the opportunity to replace the existing brick in fills with more appropriate in fills reflecting design quality of the host building both in terms a design and materiality. This approach has the potential improve the interface with the surrounding townscape and provide additional residential units with entrances from the street and create positive active frontages. See the CGI image in Fig 2 of the potential enhancement of the building frontage. Alternatively, the car park could be partly reconfigured to include amenity space (lobby, gym, concierge, cycle store) while retaining a small amount of essential parking provisions. The ground floor could also host galleries, pop-ups, maker spaces, or cafés, creating a lively street presence, increasing social value that would also have the potential to benefit the Botwell Green Sport and Leisure Centre. 2 3 Fig 2. CGI image of improved frontage Fig 1. Existing street view of the Hayes North Telephone Exchange Fig 3. Existing ground floor plan April 2025 Design and Conservation Team First Floor Hayes North Telephone Exchange - Evidence base for conversion potential Existing Condition The Hayes North Telephone Exchange first floor benefits from a facade with multiple windows allowing light penetration into the areas with a deeper footprint. (See Fig 4 and 5 first floor windowed elevations). The first floor layout of the building is divided into two elements with a larger footprint area to the rear linked to a smaller footprint front component. The larger rear part of the building has a cutout light well. (See Fig 6 first floor plan). The building is arranged on a grid with internal columns spaced at approximately 6m intervals. Potential for Conversion The rear section of the building has a deeper footpirnt for usual conversion of a building to residential use. However, the light well, improves the interior space quality making it more suitable for adaptive reuse. It acts to bring daylight into the building’s core and acts as natural ventilation shafts for passive cooling. This lightwell could be increased in size. The front section of the building with windows on all elevations offers excellent conversion potential due to access to light, views, and ventilation from every side. Additionally, there is an opportunity for the large flat roof with good views, to be converted into amenity space for residents, a café, bar, increasing the value and appeal of the building. 4 Fig 4. Hayes North Telephone Exchange first floor windowed elevations Fig 5. Hayes North Telephone Exchange first floor windowed elevations Fig 6. Existing first floor plan 5 6 Key: Rear larger footprint area Front smaller footprint area Light well Link Fig 4. Hayes North Telephone Exchange first floor windowed elevations Fig 5. Hayes North Telephone Exchange first floor windowed elevations Fig 6. Existing first floor plan April 2025 Design and Conservation Team Second and Third Floor with Summary Hayes North Telephone Exchange - Evidence base for conversion potential Existing Condition The Hayes North Telephone Exchange second and third floor have a narrow building envelope with a staircase at each end of the building. See Fig 8 and 9 second and third floor plans. Some of the windows are slit windows as shown in Fig 7. Potential for Conversion The narrow building envelope would have the potential to allow for conversion to residential use, with the potential to deliver a large percentage of dual aspect units. The slit windows can be increased in size to match some of the existing large windows. These alternations would be in keeping with the design aesthetic of the building. Summary The Hayes North Telephone Exchange is one of 959 exchange assets that Openreach intend to retain as long term facilities. It is considered that this evidence base demonstrates that, notwithstanding any local listing, this building would have the potential to be converted into an alternative use should Openreach take a commercial decision to release this asset to the market in the long term. Fig 7. Historic photo showing the windows of the upper floors Fig 8. Footprint of the second floor Fig 9. Footprint of the third floor. 7 8 9 Fig 8. Footprint of the second floor Fig 9. Footprint of the third floor. Fig 7. Historic photo showing the windows of the upper floors
View Decision / Minutes Text
Executive Decision Notice – 22 September 2025
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
OFFICIAL EXECUTIVE DECISION NOTICE
PUBLISHED BY DEMOCRATIC SERVICES
Notice is hereby given that the following decision(s) have been made today by
Cabinet Members at the London Borough of Hillingdon:
Title of decision New Addition Local List of Buildings of Architectural and
Historic Importance - Hayes North Telephone Exchange
Reference No. 1522
Date of decision Monday 22 September 2025
Call-in expiry date Monday 29 September 2025
Relevant Select
Committee
Residents Select Committee
Relevant Wards Hayes Town
Decision made
Cabinet Members
making the decision
Councillor Ian Edwards – Leader of the Council
Councillor Steve Tuckwell, Cabinet Member for Planning,
Housing and Growth
Decision Approved
The Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for
Planning, Housing and Growth:
1. Considered the report in Appendix 1 and approved the
addition of Hayes North Telephone Exchange to the Local
List of Buildings of Architectural and Historic Importance.
2. Instructed officers to notify all the owners/occupiers of
the addition of Hayes North Telephone Exchange to the
Local List, and to update the GIS database, the Council
website and other sources to include the new entry.
Reason for decision Following Cabinet consideration in April 2025, it was requested
that further information be provided to determine whether the
building’s redevelopment potential is achievable should the
building be Locally Listed.
Alternative options
considered and
rejected
The risk of not locally listing the building would leave this building
a local destination unrecognised and vulnerable to insensitive
development. It would not address the concerns of residents and
would be contrary to the guidance previously agreed on this
matter, which has been operating for the past 15 years.
Classification Part 1 - Public
Executive Decision Notice – 22 September 2025
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
Link to associated
report
The link to the report can be found here
Relevant Officer
contact & Directorate
Antonia Whatmore, Design and Conservation Manager
Neil Robertson, Principal Conservation Officer
Any interest declared
by the Cabinet
Member(s) /
dispensation granted
N/A
Implementation of decision & scrutiny call-in
[Internal Use only]
When can this
decision be
implemented by
officers?
Officers can implement Cabinet Member decision in this notice only
from the expiry of the scrutiny call-in period which is:
5pm on Monday 29 September 2025
However, this is subject to the decision not being called in by
Councillors on the relevant Select Committee. Upon receipt of a
valid call-in request, Democratic Services will immediately advise
the relevant officer(s) and the decision must then be put on hold.
Councillor scrutiny
call-in of this
decision
Councillors on the relevant Select Committee shown in this notice
may request to call-in this decision. The request must be before the
expiry of the scrutiny call-in period above.
Councillors should use the Scrutiny Call-in App (link below) on their
devices to initiate any call-in request. Further advice can be sought
from Democratic Services if required:
Scrutiny Call-In - Power Apps (secure)
Further information These decisions, where applicable, have been taken under The
Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access
to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.
This is the formal notice by the Council of the above executive
decision, including links to the reports where applicable.
If you would like more information on this decision, please contact
Democratic Services on 01895 250636 or email:
democratic@hillingdon.gov.uk.
Circulation of this decision notice is to a variety of people including
Members of the Council, Corporate Directors, Officers, Group
Secretariats and the Public. Copies are also placed on the
Council’s website.
Democratic Services
London Borough of Hillingdon
Civic Centre
High Street
Uxbridge
UB8 1UW
Executive Decision Notice – 22 September 2025
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk