News

Turley submits planning application on behalf of Hadley Property Group for major retrofit-led neighbourhood at former GSK headquarters in Brentford

We are providing expert Planning and Economics services to Hadley Property Group for the transformation of 980 Great West Road in Brentford, west London. The submission marks a key milestone in delivering one of the UK’s most ambitious reuse-led developments - transforming the former GSK House into a thriving new neighbourhood rooted in sustainability, circular economy principles and long-term social value.

The scheme reimagines this prominent site along the M4 corridor not only as a vibrant new community, but as a model for regenerative, circular development.

Spanning 13 acres, the proposals will deliver around 2,300 new homes and studios, alongside a mix of tenures including Build-to-Rent, co-living and Purpose-Built Student Accommodation. The plans, as well as providing 35% affordable housing, also include 330,000 sq ft of commercial space to support a diverse and sustainable local economy.

The designs have been developed by a best-in-class design team led by Haworth Tompkins, with Studio Egret West, Metropolitan Workshop and DRMM as plot architects.

The project's pioneering low-carbon strategy retains the basement and substructure, significantly shaping the masterplan - heavily influencing the proposed building heights and locations, while also freeing up the ground floor for active uses. Two key buildings from the original campus, including the high-rise tower, will be retained and adapted, with their reuse being integral to the overall low-carbon approach. Studio Egret West is leading the design of the retained tower, which will contain generously proportioned homes with oversized balconies, large communal areas, shared amenity spaces and a large rooftop conservatory.

The new neighbourhood is grounded in a reuse-first strategy - a bold approach that retains embodied carbon, preserves significant existing sub and superstructure, and champions material re-use. Utilising this approach across both the existing building and basement will save more than 50% of the site’s embodied carbon footprint.

Reconnecting the historical island site to Boston Manor Park, the River Brent and Brentford High Street is also key to the site’s placemaking credentials. Alongside their work on the tower, Studio Egret West has designed a generous and accessible landscape that sees more than 60% of the site given over to public realm, including play areas, gardens and riverside access.

More than 330,000 sq ft of flexible commercial, retail and community uses are proposed across the wider masterplan - supporting a diverse local economy and providing a platform for education providers, social enterprises, independent businesses and charitable organisations. A collaborative process with the London Borough of Hounslow’s Regeneration team will see 30,000 sq ft of workspace designed to promote environmentally sustainable practices on both the site itself and for businesses along the Great West Road.

Over the past 18 months, an extensive co-design process - led by Hadley’s in-house team and Haworth Tompkins, supported by Metropolitan Workshop and Neighbourly Lab - has engaged hundreds of local residents, community groups and stakeholders, ensuring the emerging plans reflect local priorities and aspirations. The collaborative approach has been central to creating a well-supported and inclusive vision for the neighbourhood.

The regeneration of 980 Great West Road represents a rare opportunity to deliver large-scale housing, employment and social infrastructure while radically reducing environmental impact through adaptive reuse. The proposals will save thousands of tonnes of the site’s embodied carbon footprint while setting a precedent for large-scale, sustainable urban regeneration.

Andy Portlock, CEO of Hadley, said:

"Delivering the homes, infrastructure and social value London needs requires genuine collaboration between the public and private sectors - across local, regional and national levels. This project embodies that spirit. By working closely with the London Borough of Hounslow, the GLA, and through ongoing engagement with residents and businesses, we’ve brought forward a bold, sustainable neighbourhood vision grounded in partnership and ambition.”

18 August 2025