Plan for Eighty Flats at West Gate Office Development |
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Two-storey extension sought at building by Hanger Lane Gyratory
March 19, 2026 A prior approval application has been submitted to add two new residential storeys to AGB House, the prominent office building at West Gate near Hanger Lane. The proposal, lodged under permitted development rights (GPDO Part 20, Class AA), would create 80 studio flats above the existing commercial floors. AGB House — also known locally as TNS House — sits close to the Hanger Lane gyratory and has long been a familiar landmark on the edge of the gyratory. Built as a commercial block with a strong 1980s façade of bronze-tinted glazing, precast concrete panels and dark brick detailing, it has historically been occupied by a mix of corporate tenants. Over the years these have included technology firms, professional services companies and administrative offices making use of its proximity to the A40 and North Circular. The building comprises two linked blocks: the larger L-shaped Block L, which rises from lower ground to third floor, and the smaller Block A, which is two storeys high. The new application concerns Block L only. The existing office floors would remain in commercial use, while the new fourth and fifth floors would accommodate 80 one-person studio flats, each meeting or exceeding the 37 sq m national minimum space standard. The new residential levels have been designed to appear as a natural continuation of the existing building. The façade would replicate the current architectural language, including the bronze glazing, sand-coloured precast elements and dark brick column faces. Roof plant would be consolidated into screened enclosures matching the existing palette to avoid visual clutter. The proposal would mirror the changes that have taken place on the opposite side of the road which has also seen residential floors added. The application states that the extension complies with the strict height limits with the uplift of 5.665 metres below the maximum permitted 7 metres, and the resulting overall height of 24.69 metres remains well under the 30-metre cap. A separate residential entrance, reception and lift core would be created to ensure clear division between the commercial and residential uses. Dedicated cycle storage, refuse areas and parcel facilities would be provided at lower ground level, segregated from the office back-of-house areas. The site’s location — surrounded by major roads, large-scale buildings and mixed commercial uses — is cited as well suited to an upward extension. The applicant argues that the proposal delivers new homes without altering the building’s footprint or disrupting the existing office operation.
The plans are now with Ealing Council for consideration under the prior approval process, which allows the authority to assess matters such as transport, design, natural light, amenity impacts and fire safety, but not the principle of adding residential floors.
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