Feltham Gravel Pits Plan - Concorde Village

[GreenBelt]

I am very disappointed with the reporting on this story. There was an opportunity to ask and answer many questions.

This 120 acre area of green belt and nature conservancy land was purchaed by a company called Profitable Plots based out of Singapore (now Profitable Group) in 2006 according to the England and Wales Land Registry. Profitable Group call the Feltham site "Concorde Village Hounslow" in their advertising.

The Profitable Group sell it in small plots to investors in Asia and Canada. A body called the Strategic Land Planning Trust is claimed to be the Investor representative group. There were around 9000 of these plots on offer at the 120 acre Feltham site. Profitable Group are not allowed to offer these land plots to UK residents because of FSA ruling on Land Banking companies. Profitable Plots UK was liquidated in the UK end 2007.
From the Profitable Group website DLP is the consulting agent for Profitable Group and Neil Osborne sits on the board of the Profitable Group.

So given the complex offshore relationships a good question to start with would be who is developing this land if the plans went ahead ?
59 responses for 5000+ invitations seems like a pretty meaningless response why were there not more ?
Why did the Chronicle not ask for a response from the Hounslow council planning department or local residents ?
Why are there no comments form the Strategic Land Planning trust or Profitable Group ?
Could Profitable Group advise when will all the plots be sold and when can we expect the formal planning **** to start ? They claim a return in 3 years in their advert here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K43f-jvMG2o

A site called Property Scam dedicated to issues on Land Banking has some strong views on the Feltham site which can be seen here.
http://www.propertyscam.org.uk/htdocs/hounslow.htm

This looks very much like a news story to help the company to sell more plots in Asia, not useful news and information for Hounslow and Feltham residents. Perhaps there could be a follow up story covering the above points.

[DeniseL]

The Feltham Lakes issue was raised in this letter to the Hounslow Chronicle Sep 30 2008 by Stephanie Stewart from Feltham. Stephanie pointed out that the DLP questionnaires were leading and didn't allow any freedom of expression to object entirely to any development. There was no response. Also I didnt know it was called Concorde Village before I saw the tacky advert mentioned above! Is that news?

According to this Profitable Salesman Taylor Wimpey has put a large deposit on the site and are going to buy it back a site they sold in 2006 for 3.1 million pounds at the height of the UK property market. I wonder if they and their shareholders know about this deal ?

Are the Profitable Group already saying to their customers that a 100% of respondents in Hounslow wanted 850 houses or more on the site because of a name change?

The fact that there are no responses from the Hounslow planning department or local residents suggests that this was a story developed over a good PR lunch with the DLP people. I dont blame DLP that is their job. Can we see the Hounslow Chronicle doing its job and writing a proper story on this?

Will there be a statement from Hounslow Council and residents groups on Concorde Village / New Feltham Lakes in next weeks Chronicle or at least perhaps before the name gets changed again to Poyais Land Plots?

[DeniseL]

Ken Livingstone's Sub Regional Development Framework - West London plan May 2006 - 2016 has this clear statement in it.
Open Space (Page 57) The network of parks, open space, wildlife sites and the Green Belt is one of West London’s strengths, making an important contribution to the quality of life and should continue to be protected.
Key Issues (Page 84) To ensure that there is no loss of Green Belt or Metropolitan Open Land.

New Conservative Mayor Boris Johnson wants to alter big parts of the Labour London plan but amazingly he is in total agreement on the green belt.
In the document Planning for a Better London he says (Page 11) The Mayor will strongly support the protection of Green Belt, Metropolitan Open Land and London’s precious green and open spaces .

Even in the plan response document it says (Page 5) There was also strong support for the emphasis on protecting the Green Belt and London’s other open spaces and for proposals to protect existing trees and woodlands and to encourage provision of new ones.

Why would anyone think building New Feltham Lakes / Concorde Village were possible in 3 years or any time in the forseeable future? Is there something we arent being told? If so could we be told it?

[JoePiper]

In the Chronicle article Mr Osborne from DLP who also sits on the board of the Profitable Group says "The status quo is not an indefinite option" Is Mr Osborne talking about the rock band? Surely the overriding point of Green Belt legislation is to maintain the status quo?

The web sitementioned in the article is run by Chelgate Public Relations. They say that we are talking about "the future of a large and mostly derelict area of green belt land". If this was a charity seeking aid to fix a run down orphanage we would sympathise with these emotive words. The reality is we have a company that purchased Green Belt land for profit, declaring the land derelict via their PR Company, and then having their planning consultant saying “something must be doneâ€

[Green_Man]

Unfortunately the current regime at Hounslow Council seem to have no regard to the environment, despite their crowing about planting trees and recycling. We will all lose out if they continue to allow building and development around Feltham. Currently we have Bedfont pits, Feltham pits, the Forty Acre nature reserve and Feltham Glebelam]nds all under threat as well as a general assault on our remaining wildlife from the new parks contractors who seem to treat the maintenance of our open spaces as an industrial exercise. All these people care about is money.

[JoePiper]

There was a freedom of information request made on Feltham Lakes / Concorde Village which is published here with quite a lot of detail including letters from the Public. The response statement from Hounslow council is copied below but follow the link for the whole detail.

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/p ... _and_lower

Hounslow's attitude to Green Belt land development is clearly set out in its statutory development plan, made up of the Unitary Development Plan (UDP, 2003) and the London Plan (2008). Policy ENV-N.1.2 of the UDP states a general presumption against inappropriate development (this term is explained in the policy criteria) within the Green Belt and states that it will not permit such development, except where very special circumstances can be demonstrated. This approach is consistent with the London Plan, which outlines the intention for London's growth to take place within its existing urban boundaries and without encroaching on open space. The approach to development in the Green Belt set out Hounslow's development plan reflects national Planning Policy Guidance (PPG 2) on Green Belts. These documents are available online by following the weblinks at the end of this email.
(see the website above)

Relating to the attitude to development at the site at 'Concorde Village', the approach described above would be applied and an applicant would need to present very special circumstances if development were to be allowed. It should be noted that a planning application for this site has not been submitted to the Council. Given that the Council has evidence that it can meet its development needs (for both housing and commercial/ industrial uses) for the foreseeable future and the housing targets set out in the London Plan (which have been established on this basis) by developing existing urban land that is not designated as Green Belt or open space, it is very unlikely that planning permission would be given for development on this site.

For information, the Council is in the **** of producing a new statutory development plan, the Local Development Framework, which is gradually replacing the UDP. The main element of this will be the Core Strategy, which will cover Green Belt designation and policies, and will undergo a second phase of consultation (preferred options or preferred strategy stage) early in 2010. The Core Strategy will be informed be a review of the Green Belt boundary, which will identify and deal with any
anomalies in the Green Belt whilst ensuring the integrity and permanence of the Green Belt is maintained, as outlined in the London Plan and PPG
2. There is no expected change (although reliance should not be placed upon this) to the strategic approach to Green Belt set out in the London Plan and PPG2, and the review of Green Belt boundaries together with the assessment of any proposals to build on the Green Belt will be made in this context. We do not anticipate the need to make any exception to this policy to accommodate the borough's expected growth.

[SteveF]

Hounslow Planning seem to not understand the meaning of the word precedent according to the what do they know site mentioned above.

a single approval was given within Hounslow since 2002, and does not indicate that a standard or pattern has been set.

Having previously allowed building on green belt land Hounslow now claim that decision does not in anyway affect or influence future decisions. Perhaps they should ask why Profitable Group investors would pour tens of millions of pounds into buying green belt land if not influenced by other earlier activities?

In the real world precedent means find a case where its been done before.

[JoePiper]

Ed Saunt has been doing some good reporting on this issue and its good to see the Chronicle representing local interests. I missed last weeks Chronicle so if anyone has the link to the original story it would be nice to see.


A DEVELOPER is pressing ahead with the consultation for its scheme for the Lower Feltham Lakes site, despite Hounslow Council saying it is 'extremely unlikely' to go ahead.

On Monday DLP Planning unveiled changes to plans for the 122-acre site off Chertsey Road in response to residents' concerns.

But the land is in the Green Belt and Hounslow Council has said it will not allow it to be developed.

Concerns were raised in the Chronicle last week that the proposed plans might be the front for an 'international property scam'.
Story continued here

[JoePiper]

Scam fears over homes feltham: profit promise to investors despite planning risk
Aug 13 2009 By Ed Saunt , Hounslow Chronicle
A PROPOSED 1,000-home development in Feltham is facing claims it is part of an international property scam.
Hounslow Council has said the project to build on Green Belt land at Lower Feltham Lakes is 'very unlikely' to receive planning permission, yet landowner the Profitable Group - which put in a bid to buy Newcastle United last month - has been luring backers with promises of returns of 250 per cent within three years when the housing is built.

The council has been inundated with queries from worried investors in Brunei, Singapore and Canada, who say they have been told planning permission will be granted imminently and fear they are in danger of losing their money.

The Sale of Countryside Awareness Movement has written to Hounslow Council warning that it believes that 'land-banking' is taking place - the practise of speculating on land that could be developed, which is legal, but which the Land Registry warned investors about earlier this year.

[JoePiper]

This was the other Aug 13 2009 story. Good reporting from Ed Saunt rather than just re-printing PR! I think the answer to the question in the title is no

Is 'Concorde Village' a real opportunity?
It is a story that links a former feltham gravel pit with investors in Brunei, Singapore and Canada and an audacious bid to buy Newcastle United. Ed Saunt investigates what is going on at lower Feltham Lakes.

To a Far Eastern investor 'Concorde Village' might sound like the perfect business opportunity. Backers could pick up a plot just two miles from Heathrow for just £8,000 with the promise of a 250 per cent return within three years.

Singapore-based landowners Profitable Group said the Lower Feltham Lakes site was ripe for a housing project comprising 1,000 homes and a recent entry on its website boasts that development proposals have already been submitted.

However, following an investigation by the Chronicle into concerns from investors and neighbours of the site, Hounslow Council has confirmed no such application has been received, while Profitable's UK communications consultants, Chelgate, admitted this week that the claims were untrue.

Mike Hardware, executive vice-president of Chelgate, said: "We know that's not true. I don't know why that's there because the council has not received an application and we are not intending to submit one in the near future."

Chelgate is leading a consultation into proposed development of the former Feltham gravel pits off Chertsey Road but Mr Hardware admitted it would be at least four years before a planning application is even lodged with Hounslow Council.

Profitable Group - which last month put in a bid to buy Newcastle United** - bought the land from housebuilder Taylor Wimpey for £3.15m in 2006 but the group's predictions of 250 per cent growth for investors would value the land at more than £100m.
The council has been inundated with queries from investors who fear they might not see any return on their money.

A man from Brunei wrote: "They (Profitable Group) have been marketing very heavily here and have been trying to persuade my family to buy some plots on their scheme. Have you any news regarding them? I fear they may be one of the many scams that are mushrooming around the world. With their marketing and information it is hard to believe that such ventures can be so profitable."

Another potential investor from Singapore, on the verge of buying 47 plots for £253,125, said he was told planning permission was likely to be granted in 2010 or 2011.

Feltham residents have also contacted the council to seek reassurance that deals had not been made with developers behind closed doors.

A spokeswoman for Hounslow Council said: "The site does not have planning permission. We have been in contact with the planning consultants to reiterate that any proposal for redevelopment of this site for residential or mixed used purposes, under current policy, would not be supported by the Council. We have asked that this is relayed to any marketing company that the landowners may be using."
{Continuedhere}

** As widely reported in the UK news media Profitable Group were not able to provide proof of funds to back their bid for Newcastle. They did get a lot of web **** to block potentially negative web items such as this forum thread.

[Blueboy077]

I would just like to let you people back in UK know how the above Mob are conducting there business here in Singapore.

First of all I am Britsh but I have been living in Singapore for the past 3 years and have attended a few of PG invitations for cocktails on a friday night. They start off by telling you about the Concord Village Project and how london has a huge housing shortage and they provide a few news paper cuttings to back up the story (This is old news as you guys in the UK have known this for some time)next they tell you about how heathrow is about to get an extra runway,which in return will create more jobs in the area ( Again we know this now not going to happen!) this quickly followed by the using the olympics as another reason why London is a good investment.

As the night went on the first thing I asked was is the land green belt and was promptly told.....no no its not green belt its on the site of an old gravel pit
(Well we know that this is not the case and the land IS green belt. Next they tell you buy now at 8000 quid a plot and in 6 months time it will be valued at 12,000 , I was nearly falling over with laughter as I watch greedy and gullible Singaporians sign up.

I recieved a call from PP about 3 months later asking if I was interested in buying land in the Philippines which was a fantastic deal, again I said thanks but no thanks, a further 3 months later they were claiming that the Concord Site was sold out, then I got a call asking if I was interested again in the Concord village plots, I was told they were doing a special off of 5000 quid a plot (what happened to the 12000 they would be worth after 6 months), and the sales guy went on to tell me that he had just sold 250,000 quids worth earlier that day, I then asked, I thought all the plots were sold out, to which he replied , oh yes they are but this is the secondary market.

Another night I went to another of their cocktail presentations and was introduced to an extremley dodgy looking americain who claimed he lived in Marbella in Spain and was involved in LAND and Timeshares, (This is were most of the money from dodgey british land scams went too after it left the country) and was a good friend of the owner, by this time I could not get out of their fast enough.

To all potential investors you have been WARNED this is nothing more than a SCAM that is legal in Singapore, all the goverment care here about is money money and more money PP are paying there taxes and not breaking the law so they are welcomed here with open arms , invest at you own risk, they market themselves as strategic global investment, after what I have heard from your local council and it seems to me this mob have made taken 10 of millions of pound from innocent people who are unaware that there money is as good as lost!!! Strategic Global Rip Off more like !!!!!!

[SteveF]

Is there some reason that the moderators of this forum dont delete the drug adverts that the spammers are posting here ?

[Nelly]

and when they do they remove genuine posts to....

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[JoePiper]

Another company called Syndications Canada Inc in Canada is also offering to sell the same Hounslow greenbelt land in Canada. They also call it Concorde Village. Since their advertising looks the same as the Singpaore Profitable Group I assume they are either agents or the same company.

This is what they offer:-
. 2 miles south of Heathrow International Airport
. High density residential area
. Comprised of 120 acres with 50 acres for housing
. Suitable for 1,000 houses
. London Plan shows housing shortfall
. Extremely sustainable location
. Housing, employment and local services all in immediate vicinity
. In line with Government Planning Policy Guidlines/ Strategies (PPG/PPS)
Once planning permission has been granted we obtain an open market valuation from three independent expert sources. We then seek bids by formal tender, selecting the offer that will most benefit our clients.

I assume Hounslow Council will be writing to them and telling them what a load of rubbish those statements are ?