2016 September Newsletter

Proposals are being worked on to build new homes at the Mattock Lane end of the Northfields allotments. The allotments are owned by local charity Pathways. It also owns Dean Court which is accommodation for older people on the other side of Northfield Avenue. Pathways would like to redevelop Dean Court to increase the amount and quality of housing for older people. Their aim is to provide a total of approximately 110 Pathways social homes and 30 homes for sale across the whole development.

Part of their plan is to take about 10% of the allotment site, at the north end, and build 18 new social homes and four homes for sale.  These homes will be in two buildings, one will be five to six storeys high and the other three to four storeys. These homes would be built first in order to move existing residents of Dean Court in to these homes whilst Dean Court is redeveloped. Residents can then return to their new homes in about two years.

These proposals are likely to prove controversial as the arguments about the urgent need for more housing are set alongside the role and value put on green space in an ever increasingly built up area.  These plans are at a very early stage and Pathways are now starting a lengthy period of consultation with the local community.  More information about the plans and how to ask questions and make comments are available on Pathways website – http://www.yourpathways.org.uk/clives-blog

Following on from the Council’s successful bid for funds, the co-working hub in West Ealing is taking shape. It will be based in St James House on the corner of St James Avenue and the Uxbridge Road in the heart of West Ealing.

The hub will be based over two spacious floors and will encompass a range of options that will suit part-time, drop-in and full-time workers along with various sized meeting rooms and office facilities. In addition, there will be workspace and facilities for people involved in the creative industries.

Before the hub opens next year a series of activities, taster sessions and meetings will be held on site over the next few months.

You can keep up to date with what’s going on by joining the mailing list at www.ealingblueprint.co.uk

We have talked about this in previous newsletters and how this initiative came from having to cancel last year’s SoundBite festival in Dean Gardens. It is an initiative inspired by the local community to help regenerate and improve Dean Gardens, for this and future generations. The initiative has emerged from the local community including residents’ groups, faith organisations, housing associations, police, businesses through West Ealing BID (In West Ealing) and with support from Ealing Borough Council.

The ambition – To develop a vision for Dean Gardens which meets the aspiration of the local community and able to cater for everyday needs and both spontaneous and planned events

The process – We are in the initial stages of exploring opportunities, engaging with the community and looking for funding opportunities. As with all regeneration we understand that it could take some time before funding is in place and changes can be made in the park but we are optimistic and keen to gain momentum.

What is happening now – We have commissioned a leading landscape architecture design studio (BDP) to assist and advise us on how to take the project forward. They, along with us, will be engaging with the community and preparing some initial ideas to help establish our vision. We are therefore keen that everyone has an opportunity to share their views and ideas. There is a chance to come and talk to us at the SoundBite Festival. We will also be exploring initial funding streams in collaboration with Ealing Borough Council.

How can I get involved – We have created a project specific website which serves to both keep people informed and allows comments to be sent. Please let us know your thoughts and leave your email address via the comments section of ours website – http://www.deangardens.co.uk.  We will keep you up to date with any developments and let you know about any public meetings which will be taking place.

There has been a range of problems round our streets following on from the introduction of the new bins. Like other parts of the borough we seem to have had an increase in fly-tipping and our fair share of bin problems. WEN has been actively involved in trying to help deal with these problems. I seem to have filled out umpteen Council ‘report it’ forms for fly-tipping. I have also been in touch with the Walpole councillors to help with some of the houses of multiple-occupation where there have been problems with bins. I hope residents feel that bit by bit the situation is improving and our thanks to our councillors for their help. We all know there is much more to be done to get our streets back to being clean and tidy but they are determined to get it done and we as residents we can keep doing our bit by reporting fly-tips and other similar problems at https://www.ealing.gov.uk/homepage/182/do_it_online .

One particular problem area has been the patch of grass near Sainsbury’s on Melbourne Avenue and Leeland Terrace. It has become a fly-tipping hotspot with black bags and other rubbish dumped there almost every day. On top of this people throwing bread for the birds has made it a pigeon magnet and, in turn, the pigeons have wrecked the grass. The Council has now removed the rubbish bin and seat from the area and are looking at complete make-over for it, perhaps taking up the grass and putting in rose beds.

We haven’t often included obituaries in our newsletter but we feel two recent deaths are important to mark.

The first was Joanie Puddle who many will remember from her 70 years working on the family’s fruit barrows. She died aged 80 after a short battle with cancer.

I remember her with great fondness. She was on the barrow by Barclays Bank on the corner of Leeland Road for as long as I can recall. She was there whatever the weather and always had time to chat to people. She was a fountain of knowledge about West Ealing and the Puddle family’s 100 plus years on the barrows across Ealing. She will be much missed.

The second was the sudden death of David Eales. Known affectionately to many as Ealing’s ‘Mr Bike’, David was an early member of member of West Ealing Neighbours and a great supporter of our efforts. He was passionate about cycling and worked tirelessly to help and encourage others to get cycling. I remember being very pleased one year when he had time to help out with our Abundance project by cycling round collecting surplus fruit from houses across Ealing.  It seemed to capture the spirit of the project

He was always generous with his time and helped us with the cycling proposals we put in our report about improving pedestrian safety at the Lido Junction.

Our condolences to both families at this sad time.

The West Ealing Centre Neighbourhood Forum (WECNF) has created a draft spatial plan for the West Ealing Centre Neighbourhood Area. Comments are invited on the plan which can be viewed at http://www.wecnf.org and at West Ealing Library. The final date for comments to be received is 5 October 2016.

The plan has been created in response to Forum members’ views of and aspirations for the area collected over recent years. The plan has been crafted within the strictures of local, regional and national planning guidelines. The plan details 17 land use policies – some site specific eg Chignell Place and some general to the area eg car parking. The Forum realises that development is inevitable in the area and its policies seek to ensure that development is appropriate and proportionate. A significant element of the plan is the identification of 22 heritage assets which WECNF members wish to be retained and maintained. Examples of these include the former Woolworths building façade at 96-100 Broadway, Royal Mail Sorting Office in Manor Road and Ealing Magistrates’ Court in Green Man Lane.

After all comments have been evaluated and if necessary amendments made to the draft plan, it will be submitted to Ealing Council. The Council will check the legality of the plan and arrange for an independent assessment of the plan and then organise both a business and a residential referendum. If 50% of all the votes cast in both referenda are ‘Yes’ then the plan must be adopted by Ealing Council as the spatial development plan for the centre of West Ealing.

WECNF is one of over 2,000 Neighbourhood Forums throughout England. Over 120 Neighbourhood Plans have been adopted as the legal local area plans for developers. The enabling Government legislation is the 2011 Localism Act. WECNF was designated by Government in March 2013. WECNF has 329 members. The West Ealing Centre Neighbourhood Area is designated as a Business Neighbourhood Area. The current formal public consultation is the so called Pre-submission Consultation (Regulation 14).

For further information, please contact Eric Leach, WECNF Chair at eric@wecnf.org or on 020 8567 2011.

WEN is a group of some 400 strong made up of  West Ealing residents, workers and visitors who want their town to be better for everyone.

Membership is free and available to anyone in the West Ealing community, irrespective of background, race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, political orientation, faith/non-faith, or gender.

WEN was formed in November 2005. The group is run by volunteer locals, elected annually by WEN members.

The group’s committee is made up of

Chair: David Highton

Treasurer: Andrew Cazalet

Vice-Chair: Eric Leach

Iyke Anthony

Diane Gill

Chris Gilson

Smriti Gopal

Nick Greenhalgh

Jane Humphreys

Email: westealingneighbours@gmail.com
Web Site: http://www.westealingneighbours.org.uk
WEN blog: http://www.westealingneighbours.org.uk/WEN-blog
Twitter: http://twitter.com/WENeighbours
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/groups/124290860921562/

Postal Address: 32 Regina Road, London W13 9EF