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Hillingdon Council has rejected plans which would have seen a new block of nine flats built in place of a house in Ickenham.
This is the latest variation of the plans for 90 Long Lane to have been pushed back, having also been rejected in 2025. Compared to the 2025 scheme, the building was reduced by 0.2m in width and 0.2m in height. If approved, the existing house on the site would have been demolished.
The decision by councillors on the planning committee on Wednesday, October 14, went against council officers’ recommendations to approve the proposals ahead of the meeting. In a planning report, officers described the scheme as being a net benefit due to the provision of homes.
Hillingdon Council cannot currently demonstrate a five-year deliverable housing supply, and national policy as of April 2026 requires decision-makers to give “substantial weight” to schemes delivering housing under a default presumption in favour of sustainable development. However, councillors rejected the premise that an unmet housing target should automatically override local heritage protection.
Councillor Darren Davies argued that the provision of flats failed to compensate for the damage to the conservation area. He said: “The width is down by 20cm and the height is down by 20cm... so we've seen a reduction of 20cm... I don't believe that bringing something in by 20cm is a substantial change that's equivalent to changing your belt lock by bringing it in once.
"The committee has refused this site twice in April 2024 and May 2025 because of the harm to the Ickenham Village Conservation Area. Tonight's scheme is in substance the same building - 20cm narrower and 20cm lower.
“That doesn't overcome the harm we've identified... Eight flats doesn't outweigh permanent harm to the conservation area."
Jill Dalton spoke to the committee on behalf of Ickenham Residents’ Association. She told councillors that she was disappointed to be here again “trying to defend our important conservation area to our own council”.
She added: “Our conservation area properties are typically individual houses in large spacious plots. The erosion of these qualities in favour of bulky flat developments is not generally what our residents wish to see and especially not their neighbours who will lose privacy and be subjected to noise and disturbance.
The planning application, submitted by Oracle Global Investments Ltd, proposed a two-storey building with roof space, accommodation comprising two 1-bedroom, five 2-bedroom, and two 3-bedroom flats, along with nine parking spaces and 20 cycle spaces. All councillors present voted against the plans.
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