Concerns have been raised that the economic downturn will prevent redevelopment of the notorious Bedfont Pitts - despite the Secretary of State granting planning permission last week.

Long-suffering residents near the site at Bedfont trading estate, Bedfont Road, may be forced to endure antisocial behaviour, including illegal motor cross riding and car burning, until the end of the current crisis.

Bedfont councillor Peter Hills said the eyesore was “the most polluted piece of land in the borough", while the Greater London Authority (GLA) described it as a “complete mess”.

The proposals for a new community park with recreational facilities had already been placed on hold after the Planning Inspectorate ordered an inquiry in January last year because the land is situated within the green belt.

The Secretary of State recommended last week the project should go ahead due to “very special circumstances”, adding it would provide “opportunities for outdoor recreation, enhancing the landscape, improving damaged land and enhancing nature conservation.”

But Coun Hills said he believed it would be “virtually impossible” for the developers to go ahead with the plans, which are not opposed by Hounslow Council.

He said: “I am very pleased the inspector has made this decision, it is something we’ve been working on for a long time.

"The residents played their part in many, many consultation processes with the council and the developer, this is a very large and important scheme for the area.

“However, I feel that in this very unstable climate I don’t know whether the scheme will be able to go ahead because obviously the financial implications are quite enormous.

“We are having a downturn in trading at the moment and I think the developer may find it very difficult to proceed with the scheme and will probably have to postpone it until the trading prospects look up.”

William Woodward-Fisher, director of developer Chrisfys Properties Ltd, said the company was looking into ways of minimising delays which were “inevitable” in the current economic situation.

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