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Views sought on proposed ‘buffer zone’ around Marie Stopes clinic in Mattock Lane

Ealing Council is asking for views on a proposed Safe Zone outside the Marie Stopes clinic on Mattock Lane.

The Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) is being proposed in Ealing to stop harassment and intimidation for women visiting the clinic and also improve the quality of life for residents.

The proposed area is the length and breadth of Mattock Lane and will prohibit within that area people from congregating, displaying images and from approaching or monitoring people accessing the clinic.

The council is particularly keen to hear the views of people who live, work or visit Mattock Lane or the immediate surrounding areas as well as clinic users and staff.

Following the council’s research and investigation into the issue of behaviours of groups outside the clinic, a report was presented to cabinet members on Tuesday, 16 January 2017, where members agreed to proceed with an eight week consultation.

Councillor Ranjit Dheer, cabinet member for community services and safety, said: “Our research has shown that the Ealing community would welcome the idea of enforcement action being taken against those committing anti-social behaviour in the area.

“It is about making sure residents and visitors to the clinic are not harassed and intimidated. In the absence of any alternative form of control emerging, the creation of a PSPO will be considered by the council.”

PSPOs are designed to discourage anti-social behaviour from happening in an area by barring certain behaviours. If the PSPO is breeched council officers and the police would have additional powers to take enforcement action to tackle anti-social behaviour within the area.

The consultation is open from Monday, 29 January and will finish on Monday, 26 March 2018. If you would like to know more and share your views about the proposed PSPO please do so via www.ealing.gov.uk/safezone.

If you have any further queries or feedback about the proposed PSPO, please email SaferCommunities@ealing.gov.uk or call 020 8825 5994.

Once this consultation has closed, the council will collate all the feedback and review then present to cabinet to decide if a PSPO should be implemented. If approved, the PSPO will come into effect in April 2018.

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Iconic art-deco Hoover building’s restoration almost complete

A photo in today’s business news reminded me just how fantastic looking  the Hoover building is on the A40 at Perivale.  It’s good to read that its restoration is nearly complete.  As well as the facade, there are some stunning art deco features inside which I happened to see some photos of in the Council’s glossy magazine for developers Ealing London.

Detail of lift dial

There’s a brief history of the building on the IDM properties website. The restored building is being converted in to 66 apartments.  What about the Gillette building on the A4 next?

Photos courtesy of IDM Properties

 

 

 

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Ealing Council cabinet approves West Ealing Centre Neighbourhood plan

On 16 January 2018, Ealing Council Cabinet approved the West Ealing Centre Neighbourhood Forum (WECNF) Neighbourhood Plan. WECNF, a Government designated body of volunteers, began working on the plan as an interim body in May 2012 and continued as a designated body as from March 2013.

On 3 May 2018, at the same time as and in the same Polling Stations as the Ealing Councillor Elections, two referenda will take place on the plan. One is for local businesses and the other is for local residents. Ealing Council has yet to announce the boundary of the referendum area. If over 50% of those who vote in both referenda vote ‘Yes’ then the Neighbourhood Plan will be adopted by Ealing Council as the statutory planning guidance for the West Ealing Centre Neighbourhood Area. As such it would join the Ealing Council Local Plan, The London Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework as the set of planning guides for property developers to follow in central West Ealing.

 

Eric Leach

Chair, WECNF

www.wecnf.org

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Crisis in social care – a public meeting on Mon 29th Jan 2-4pm at Bakers House 37 The Grove W5

The Crisis in Social Care – a public meeting

Monday 29th January 2-4pm at Bakers House, 37 The Grove, Ealing W5 5DX

The discussion will be led by Eric Leach, researcher in to healthcare, and Mary Lancaster UNISON organiser in the borough. Ealing councillors will be invited.

Further information: SAGE secretary Colin Lomas

colinlomas83@gmail.com  07909 896541

 

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Feeding pigeons is bad enough but dumping food waste…!

I’m the first to admit I find fly-tipping and feeding pigeons extremely irritating.  Both are anti-social and give no thought to the problems they cause. However, when I saw that someone had emptied the contents of their food waste bin on the patch of grass by Sainsbury’s …….well, that’s just too much.  I’ve cleaned it up this morning but how could someone think this was a good idea?  The pigeons aren’t likely to eat eggshells, teabags, banana skins and orange peel. It will just attract rats.

The Council knows this patch of grass is a problem and will, I hope, one day soon redesign the area to put in some communal flower beds and signs asking people not to feed the pigeons. WEN has offered to help and I’m sure we can get volunteers to help when the time comes. In the meantime though I just hope no one else thinks it’s good for wildlife to empty out the contents of their food waste bin and let it rot away and attract rats.

And today (Friday) there was a pile of bread in exactly the same place. However, when I went back a bit later to clear it up it had already gone. So many thanks to whoever was kind enough to do that.

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Is it a warm welcome for the black and orange mobikes?

The mobikes with their distinctive livery of orange and black have suddenly started appearing all across Ealing. They arrived in St James Ave West Ealing at the end of last week.

Mobikes, owned by Beijing Mobike  Technology Company, are very popular in China.  I can personally vouch for their popularity In Shanghai where bicycle riders seem to make no difference between roads and pavements!.

The idea of having lots of bikes available to hire is a great idea and they make good use of modern technology. However, a key question is whether users will return them to designated places or leave them dotted about the streets?  Time will tell.

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West Ealing successful in bid for TfL’s Liveable Neighbourhood fund

Some of you may remember filling out a brief online questionnaire from Ealing Council a few weeks ago which asked questions about what would make West Ealing a better place in which to live. The survey was in aid of a Council bid for significant funds from TfL’s Liveable Neighbourhood Fund.

Good news is West Ealing is one of the seven winners of the first round of funding, Ealing Council has secured funding to further develop its proposals.  These proposals include better conditions for walking and cycling, changes to the town centre to make it more attractive and less dominated by cars.  Also included in the Council’s bid is a plan to redesign Dean Gardens  – using the exact same plan that was produced as the result of a concerted effort by a group of local stakeholders including West Ealing Neighbours and other residents’ groups, faith groups, West Ealing BID, Clarion and other local housing associations, the Council, the police and others.  This is the plan that can be seen here. 

Congratulations to Ealing Council for all their hard work and I very much hope that for this next stage the proposal will be developed with the local community so that it will be one which truly represents the wishes of local people. We want to see a plan we can all  fully support as it has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life for many, many West Ealing residents.

 

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Will the West Ealing CPZ be bad for business?

Monday saw the start of the month long work to implement the West Ealing CPZ.  The first white lines were marked out in Coldershaw Road. However, there is some concern that local traders may lose out because the plans include switching some 19 stop and shop bays along Coldershaw Rd, Canberra Rd and Leeland Terrace to shared use.  The stop and shop bays will be confined to Leeland Rd and the car parking behind and beside the library. On the face of it this seems to mean fewer short-term bays (usually 30 minutes) for people coming to shop in West Ealing as these 19 bays could be used by long and short stay visitors as well as permit holders.  Will this change from stop and shop to shared use affect local businesses?  Will shoppers not bother trying to park in West Ealing and take their trade elsewhere?

23rd November

Worth taking a look at this local internet tv interview about the legality and impact on businesses of the West Ealing CPZ

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Plans to expand Hindu temple in Chapel Road West Ealing

The Hindu Temple in Chapel Road ( Shri Kanaga Thurkkai Amman) has submitted an application to Ealing Council to construct a permanent building to replace the existing marquee on its site.  The new building would have a basement, ground and first floor and one of its functions would be as a meditation hall.  The temple is well known locally for its hugely popular and colourful annual Chariot Festival each August.

What is of concern to some local residents is the impact on parking and congestion in what is already a highly congested area.  Chapel Road is a very narrow street and is frequently heavily parked up with worshippers at this busy temple.

If you live nearby do please take a look at the Council’s website for more information about these plans.  Hopefully this link will take you to the planning search page and the reference number is 177615FUL.  The Ealing Dean Residents’ Association is opposing these plans.