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Fly-tipping, bins and pigeons… cleaning up West Ealing

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 .

 

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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.

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Live music, activities for all the family and more at West Ealing SoundBite Festival in Dean Gardens Saturday 10th Sept 1-9pm

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The weather forecast looks good for the return of the West Ealing SoundBite Festival to Dean Gardens on Saturday.  SoundBite is a free food and music festival for all the family celebrating the rich diversity of the area.

Music

We have a full music programme from 1pm-9pm including local choirs, talented local band Du Bellows, the Brunk Band’s  brass punk ‘n’ ska sound and the urgency of Smiley & The Underclass. Also this year a special guest appearances by renowned UK-based Somali musician Hudeydi and Somali funk musicians Dur-Dur Band International. See the full programme on www.soundbitefestival.org

Children’s Activities

Donkey rides, face-painting, funfair rides, games, Giant Lego and children’s cookery are just some of the activities on offer for younger children whilst a climbing wall, shoot-out football, along with the free wi-fi bus are part of our whole new activity area for teenagers.

Food

On the food front, West Ealing’s Hilltop Roti bring their delicious Caribbean wraps, The Forester pub bring their popular BBQ food and, for the first time, visitors can get a taste of some Somali favourite dishes. Tom’s back with his ice cream van and top quality coffee will be available throughout the day. To tempt visitors to our craft tent we have local honey, apple juice and some hand-made local gifts.

Lastly, remember to visit our community stalls and have your say about how you would like to see Dean Gardens be developed for the community.

Full details can be found at www.soundbitefestival.org

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Plans to build new homes on part of Northfields allotments

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 wil be in two buildings, one 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 . 

(I should add that I have an allotment on the Northfields site but my intention with this post is to put information in the public domain. There is another occasion for a close look at these proposals and the different points of view within our community.)

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BHS finally closes … what next for West Ealing

It feels like it’s been a long time coming but BHS in West Ealing has finally closed. It was due to close some time ago when the site was sold for development but that was put on hold and it kept going until the whole of BHS went out of business.

For many who have lived here for all or much of their lives it will feel like the end of an era.  BHS was the last of the multiples and department stores that once made West Ealing the main place to shop – better than Ealing Broadway. I could list all the shops that were once here but those days have long gone and West Ealing shops now offer a very different experience. They are far more ethnically diverse, mostly independently owned and we must have one of the best shopping centres in the borough for food.  Rather than look back and regret what we have lost I think we should celebrate what we have.  Sure, the high street is dominated by budget shopping and I would like to see a few other types of shop to give a bit more variety but I hardly ever need to leave West Ealing for my everyday shopping. I also think change will come as the Green Man Lane and Sherwood Close Estates get developed along with the BHS site.  These developments will bring in many hundreds of new residents and I feel sure new opportunities for other types of shop will arise. It’s actually an exciting time for West Ealing and I’d love to be able to fast forward 10 years to see what the high street will look like in 2026. However, I’ll just have to wait.

 

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David Eales will be much missed

I was shocked to hear yesterday that David Eales has died. He was an early 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 perfectly 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.

My abiding memory of him is of seeing him cycling past our house on his way to his allotment on Northfields Avenue with his spade and tools stashed in the bike’s trailer.

Our condolences to his family at this sad time. West Ealing will miss him.

David Highton

 

 

 

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Your views wanted on plans for West Ealing

West Ealing is changing fast.  Hundreds of milions of pounds are being spent on redeveloping the Green Man Lane and Sherwood Close Estates and millions more wil be spent redeveloping the BHS site. As a result many hundreds of new families wil make West Ealing their home.On top of this we have Crossrail coming in 2018 and all the changes that it is likely to bring to the area. At this time of great change the West Ealing Centre Neighbourhood Forum has put together a detailed spatial plan for land use in the centre of West Ealing (see map below for area of plan).  The plan looks at how a series of sites in West Ealing could be developed.  These include the Royal Mail building in Manor Road and Chignell Place along with some radical ideas for building a mixed use development at the southern edge of Dean Gardens.

Also included are outline plans for how to invest the money from the future Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) that will go to WECNF if their plans are approved.  The CIL is a planning charge paid by developers to support the local infrastructure. WECNF’s plans propose investing in improving or replacing Jacob’s Ladder, maintaining the old Woolworth’s facade, improving Dean Gardens as well as investing in community facilities and community arts.

Lastly, WECNF put forward a series of local buildings as heritage assets. Buildings such as the Salvation Army Hall in Leeland Road, Ealing Magistrates’ Court, the bookend buildings to the entrance to Chignell Place, the parade of shops and offices above Barclays Bank and the two art deco buildings at the top of St James Avenue.

So, this isn’t just a dry old document. It’s a plan that profoundly affects how West Ealing could develop over the next decade.  These plans are available to view at West Ealing Library and are on their website.  Comments are very welcome and the closing date for these is 5th October. Comments should be emailed to eric@wecnf.org

 

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Co-op replaces Morrisons in West Ealing

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I missed exactly when this happened but the Morrisons store below The Gym on the Uxbridge Road has been taken over by the Co-op.  So that means both Morrisons in West Ealing have gone now.  The small one in the centre (which used to be Blockbusters) has been replaced by Bensons for Beds and now this second one has gone.  Seems like they made an ill thought out expansion and have paid the price for it.

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Wheelie bin confusion still reigns in parts of West Ealing

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Our next bin collection in the Walpole ward is tomorrow morning and it’s blue bin time this week. However, I took this photo in Westfield Rd this morning and it’s clear there is still confusion with both black and blue bins out in the street.  I just hope it all settles down soon.

Like many other areas West Ealing has seen an increase in fly-tipping over the last few weeks. I’ve reported two fly-tips to the Council this morning which makes about five in the past couple of weeks. The increase in fly-tipping and the haphazard street cleaning are making our streets look a mess.  As far as I can tell, what street cleaning there is going on is just litter picking.  I’ve seen attempts to use road sweeping machines to clean heavily parked up streets, needless to say, to no effect. I’ve seen no sign of anyone actually sweeping the streets and the gutters to clean away all the leaves and other rubbish that will soon be blocking the drains in this rainy June.

I don’t know what the Council’s plan is to keep the borough tidy during the change of rubbish collecting system but what should have been built in to their plan is a special contingency to allow for the vans that go round collecting and cleaning up reported fly-tips to patrol our streets and look for fly-tips themselves as well as react to ones reported by residents. There were always bound to be teething problems but it feels like these are being left to residents to sort out rather than the Council being proactive.  Maybe I’m wrong. I hope so.

 

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Last days of West Ealing’s BHS

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It was due to have closed this spring for redevelopment but had a stay of execution as the developer put their plans on hold. Now, however, the failed sale of BHS to Dominic Chappell has caught up with the store and the closing down sale signs are up. It’s a shame for shoppers and staff and, in some way, the end of an era when West Ealing had many of the large multiples – M&S, WH Smith, Mothercare and more. BHS is the last to go. Let’s hope ths ite isn’t left undeveloped for too long as BHS going leaves a big gap on the high street.

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Broadway International changes name to Istanbul Gate and stops selling alcohol

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If you live in West Ealing you’ll very probably know that the supermarket Broadway International used to have a 24-hour alcohol licence. Earlier in the year the licence was reviewed by the Council following detailed work by the police highlighting a range of problems associated with this store. West Ealing Neighbours and other residents’ groups gave evidence outlining the many alcohol-fuelled problems caused to residents, shops and traders by anti-soical behaviour in and around Dean Gardens and Melbourne Ave. As a result of the review the Council revoked Broadway International’s licence. However, the store appealed and was continuing to sell alcohol until the appeal was due to be heard in August.  Now though the store has a new name, Istanbul Gate, has dropped its appeal and no longer sells alcohol. From what I hear this has already made a difference and the level of late night disturbances and anti-social behaviour appears to have dropped. I sincerely hope this is true and local residents get undisturbed nights from now on. I also wish Istanbul Gate good luck with their alcohol-free iniative and really hope it’s a success for them.