Plans for West London Powerhouse building approved

Hillingdon London Borough Council have approved plans for the construction of the new £7M Powerhouse building on the site of the Old Vinyl Factory on Blyth Road in Hayes, West London, with Gleeds appointed as project manager until construction begins in January 2020 while completion is not scheduled until October 2020.

The area of the factory, where the Powerhouse building is planned to be developed, is owned and being commissioned by the regeneration specialists, Plus X, totalling an area of 17 acres and 29,000sq ft of BIM Level 2 standard accommodation space.

Under the vision of Pilbrow and Partners, the development, once completed, will be an ideal business space for start-ups and SMEs, with Plus X welcoming entrepreneurial designers and engineers.

Plus X, themselves, aim to provide flexible workspaces with a variety of facilities such as media studios, prototype workshops, and bio labs for continual innovation, with this being the main motivation behind the Powerhouse building as well.

The Director at Gleeds, Kevin Griffiths stated: “The Old Vinyl Factory is a site with a fascinating history and incredible architectural heritage which has been given a new lease of life by U+I.

“The latest phase of works to reinstate the Powerhouse will not only serve to add to that story but will also support Plus X’s vision of accelerating the growth of hundreds of fledgling creative businesses. I am thrilled that Gleeds is to play such an integral role in the delivery of this exceptional building”.

The majority of the Old Vinyl Factory is owned by the development and investment company U+I, who have constructed nearly 650 new homes, 550,000sq ft of office space, and 70,000sq ft of retail and leisure facilities while also, in 2015, converting the Shipping Building into a research and design hub named the Central Research Laboratory (CRL).

The Chief Development Officer of U+I, Richard Upton added: “By offering inspiring workspace, incredible facilities and countless opportunities for collaboration, The Powerhouse will play a key role in supporting young and established businesses and entrepreneurs to flourish.”

The original factory was constructed in 1907 by the Gramophone Company to serve as the headquarters of EMI, the company responsible for pressing records by The Beatles and Pink Floyd.

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