980 Great West Road, London Borough of Hounslow for Hadley Property Group with Haworth Tompkins, Metropolitan Workshop, Studio Egret West and dRMM

980 Great West Road, London Borough of Hounslow for Hadley Property Group with Haworth Tompkins, Metropolitan Workshop, Studio Egret West and dRMM

 

Hadley Property Group has submitted plans to create one of London’s largest new neighbourhoods at the 13-acre former GSK headquarters, 980 Great West Road, Brentford, West London.

The hybrid masterplan, developed with Haworth Tompkins, Studio Egret West, Metropolitan Workshop, and dRMM, proposes around 2,300 homes alongside 330,000 sq ft of commercial, retail, and community space.

Grounded in sustainability and circular economy principles, it reconnects the site with Boston Manor Park, the River Brent, and Brentford High Street, offering extensive public realm, play areas, and gardens.

 

 

Describe the context of this project, its neighbourhood and people.

 

Located between the Great West Road and Boston Manor Park, the masterplan for 980 Great West Road transforms the former GlaxoSmithKline global headquarters, once an impermeable, isolated, car-dependent corporate campus, into an inclusive, well-connected mixed-use neighbourhood and vibrant new part of Brentford. Our bold vision sets a new benchmark in urban regeneration – championing circular economy principles and setting a pioneering precedent for sustainable, community-focused development. Set along Brentford’s iconic Golden Mile and highly visible from the elevated M4, this landmark site at one of the key gateway points into London. The vacant glazed monolith stands as a physical and social barrier that severed connections between communities to the north and south. Its impermeable boundary ignored the natural desire lines of the neighbourhood, turning its back on Boston Manor Park and privatising the River Brent’s edge.  In contrast, the proposed masterplan heals and reconnects. It reimagines the site as a vibrant, 15-minute neighbourhood where urban life is interwoven with nature and surrounding existing communities. Much-needed homes, innovative workspace, and complementary social infrastructure are embedded within a generous public realm, opening long-denied access to the river and forging new links into Boston Manor Park. Brentford’s neighbourhoods are defined by diversity; Through an inclusive co-design process, the masterplan has been shaped by the needs, values, and aspirations of Hounslow’s dynamic population, ensuring the development is rooted in local identity and genuinely reflective of the community it serves. Celebrating the Golden Mile’s centenary, the project redefines its legacy for a sustainable, connected future

 

Please describe your approach to this future place and its mix of uses. How will it function as a vibrant place? How does it knit into, and serve the needs of, the wider area?

 

980 Great West Road transforms a once-segregated corporate campus into an open, inclusive and connected piece of city. Rooted in the principles of reuse, reconnect, and regrow, the masterplan reuses existing assets, reconnects severed neighbourhoods, and regenerates a rich social and ecological landscape. Defined by the contrast between urban and natural edges, the scheme draws on both the vibrancy of the city and the calm of green and blue spaces. Distinct character areas respond to the varied context through a landscape-led strategy that prioritises biodiversity, play, and access to the River Brent and Boston Manor Park. A near car-free approach supports walking, cycling and spontaneous community interaction. A central Gateway route invites people into the site, lined with retail and amenities and culminating at Boston Place—a vibrant public space at the base of the retained tower. Here, reused materials form playful, flexible landscapes, from a striking play structure to communal seating beneath a timber arbour encouraging community interaction. Beneath the M4 flyover, the Underside becomes a unique and distinctly programmed space supporting local enterprise, cultural events, and the night-time economy. In contrast, the Riverside offers a calmer experience, balancing public access with habitat creation along new boardwalks. 

 

Please explain the governance of the project, such as its viability, purpose, motivation and any consultation and community engagement undertaken. 

 

The regeneration of 980 Great West Road is underpinned by a strong commitment to environmental responsibility, circular design and social value. At the heart of the sustainability strategy is a reuse-first approach that prioritises retaining and repurposing the existing building and materials, significantly reducing embodied carbon. A detailed pre-redevelopment audit informed what could be kept, balancing the delivery of quality homes, connectivity, and site capacity. 
 
 Partial retention of the former GSK headquarters alone is expected to save around 34,500 tonnes of embodied carbon compared to a full new-build. Reuse is embedded throughout the project - from an energy centre made almost entirely of reclaimed materials to landscape features that bring continuity and character to the public realm. Existing basement infrastructure is repurposed to support low-carbon logistics and mobility, freeing up the ground floor for community and green uses. 
 
 Social value is delivered through over 2,300 new homes (policy-compliant affordable), alongside a potential health centre, nursery, and community and employment spaces. A variety of jobs and tenures will support inclusivity and social mobility.  High-quality homes and public spaces have been made possible through advanced environmental modelling and parametric design. Over 85% of homes are dual-aspect, optimised for natural ventilation, daylight, and long-term adaptability. The project began with a circular economy-led soft strip, reusing 41.0% and recycling 58.0% of materials, achieving 99% diversion from landfill. 980 Great West Road sets a new benchmark for circular, community-focused regeneration, delivering meaningful environmental performance while addressing wider needs of the Brentford community.