Over 20 Groups Meet to Discuss Ealing Council's Local Plan

Opposition continues to attempt to build coalition against draft proposal

Representatives of local groups at the meeting with Cllr Malcolm standing (centre)

May 4, 2023

A meeting took place recently in which over twenty local amenity groups and residents’ associations met to discuss Ealing Council’s draft Local Plan.

The event was organised by Liberal Democrat councillors with the leader of the opposition, Cllr Gary Malcolm in the chair.

The aim was to discuss the council’s proposals particularly its bid to seek a redesignation of Green Belt and Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) across the borough.

The groups attending included Cap the Towers, Central Acton Neighbourhood Forum (CANForum), Central Ealing Neighbourhood Forum, Central Ealing Residents’ Association, Creffield and Ealing Common Conservation Group, Creffield Area Residents’ Association (CARA), Ealing Fields Residents Association, Ealing Fields Residents’ Association, Ealing Friends of the Earth, Ealing Hockey, Ealing Matters, Friary Green Residents’ Association, Friends of Friars Gardens (FOFGA), Friends of Grove Farm, Friends of the Earth, Mill Hill Residents Group, Rothschild Orchard Neighbourhood Forum (RONF), Save Ealing’s Centre and Save Gurnell.

A range of local issues connected with the Local Plan were discussed including the future of the Gurnell Leisure Centres, possible conflicts of interest of councillors with investment in property locally, the lack of justification of the redesignation of Green Belt and MOL and the poor social infrastructure in areas such as Southall and Acton which also have the highest population growth.

There was also concern expressed about the way that Ealing Council consults on developments with the claim made that the level of community participation is misrepresented.

Increases in the height of residential properties by the development of roof space was also raised as a issue particularly in the Creffield Road area as well as the loss of family homes and the proliferation of smaller flats which were described as being, “Building to number not need.”

The consensus at the meeting appeared to be that the redesignation of Green Belt and MOL was without precedent and represented a “systematic attack on green spaces” which undermined Ealing Council’s stated commitment to Net Zero and a green agenda.

Cllr Gary Malcolm said: “Liberal Democrats are trying to bring people together, many of whom felt they have not been listened to by the Labour-run Ealing Council. It is chilling that Labour are considering building on green belt and / Metropolitan Open Land.”

The draft Local Plan was formed by the results of the Shaping Ealing survey, which the council claims was one of the borough’s biggest ever public listening consultations. More than 10,600 people and businesses took part and gave their thoughts on local facilities and communities.