Essential Living gets go-ahead for 221-home Brentford dev

Essential Living has secured planning permission for 221 build-to-rent homes in Brentford, Hounslow. The flats will be spread across two blocks ranging from seven to 10 storeys on Brentford High Street and will include a mix of studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom homes. It will also include a supermarket on the ground floor, along with cafes, restaurants and other shops. A quarter of the homes will be offered at a discount market rent. Essential Living will hold the homes as a long-term investor and operator. Darryl Flay, chief executive of Essential Living, said: “We are delighted with last night’s decision. We believe there is a tremendous opportunity to invest significantly in the regeneration of Brentford High Street. Essential Living will continue to work in partnership with the local community to deliver high-quality housing for rent alongside exciting new retail space local people can be proud of.” This is part of Essential Living’s pipeline of 5,000 rented homes across London and the South East. Vantage Point in Islington, its first development, is now more than two-thirds let after opening in September. To send feedback, e-mail karl.tomusk@egi.co.uk or tweet @ktomusk or @estatesgazette