West Ealing Neighbours Blog

Ealing Council has published the results of its recent consultations on Low Traffic Neighbourhoods. The results show strong opposition across most LTNs except LTN 48 Adrienne Avenue and a part of LTN 21 in Hanwell – Deans Rd/Montague Ave where the majority of residents were in favour.

The Council hopes to make its final decisions in September as it has to meet new government guidance on justifying the removal of any LTN.

The full details are on Ealing Today’s website

Only a few days left to give your views about possible changes to private rental in Ealing. This is the Council’s press release:

‘We’re considering making some changes to our property licensing schemes, to make private renting in the borough safer and better.

Since 2017, many privately rented homes in Ealing have needed a licence to be let. Licensing has been a big success, delivering safer homes for tenants, more support for landlords, and a reduction in neighbourhood nuisance and anti-social behaviour.

The new proposals would mean that the majority of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) and all rented properties in 15 wards of the borough would require a licence. Under the schemes, a licence holder would have to comply with several conditions relating to their property, including gas, electrics and fire safety.

But before any decisions are made, we want to hear what our residents, businesses and other interested parties think about the plans. To take part in our short survey, please visit www.ealing.gov.uk/prslicensingconsultation by Monday, 16 August.’

After well over over a year of being closed we welcome the re-opening of West Ealing library. Now known as West Ealing Community Library, and managed by Ealing and Hounslow CVS, the library is open from 10am-2pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during August.

The library team are looking for volunteers to help with two roles:

• Home Libraries Club

• Customer Service

For more information on volunteering at the library follow this link

West Ealing Neighbours received this press release from Friends of Victoria Hall (FoVH) about helping to fund their efforts to save Victoria Hall for community use rather than being absorbed into the plans for a boutique hotel in the town hall.

‘ The latest development in the five-year battle campaign to prevent Ealing’s Victoria Hall from becoming part of a luxury hotel is that FoVH is taking the Government’s Charity Commission to court to challenge its acquiescence in support of Ealing Council’s attempts to take over the property of the Victoria Hall Trust.

Tomorrow morning (22 July), to raise the money to pay for specialist legal advice, we’re launching a new crowdfunding campaign at https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/save-the-victoria-hall/ 

Although we’ve done as much as we can to keep legal costs to a minimum, we’ve set ourselves a challenging target to raise £35,000.

To help us get there, an early response is important to inspire others to donate. I’d be grateful if you would make a donation as soon as possible after 9am on the 22nd. It doesn’t have to be a large amount, we need some early activity. (If you would like to donate a large amount, please contact me).

There are other ways you can help. If you use social media please share, retweet the posts that appear over the next few days on
https://www.facebook.com/VHFriends  and https://twitter.com/VhFriends

As well as publicity in local media we’re hoping to generate interest regionally and in the specialist press.

It’s clear that the Charity Commission hasn’t listened to the people of Ealing. It’s ignored hundreds of complaints from local people, over 4,000 signatures on two petitions and detailed submissions from a dozen community organisations.

By rendering the Hall unaffordable, impractical, and unavailable at weekends, the ill-conceived Council scheme would bring to an end to the Hall as the centre of community life in Ealing, easily accessible from all parts of the Borough.

We don’t think that’s right.

I hope you agree and will put time aside tomorrow or over the next few days to show your support at https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/save-the-victoria-hall/‘

The Council’s plans for 26-storeys at Perceval House have got the final green light as the Secretary of State has declined to intervene.

Ealing Council’s final vote on the future of LTNs is now open. It is important as many residents and businesses as possible vote so the Council gets the most accurate information it can on whether or not to make permanent any of the current eight LTNs. (The West Ealing South LTN21 was stopped when Hounslow Council closed Swyncombe Ave for road works) There is a separate vote for each LTN. Here is the link to the Council’s page with the links to each LTN vote. Deadline to vote is Friday 23rd July.

We have covered this story over the past couple of years from the early fight to save it from the QPR training ground plans to the current efforts to have it designated a nature reserve. This is the latest press release from the Warren Farm Nature Reserve campaign:

29 June 2021

‘The petition to designate Warren Farm in Ealing, West London, as a Local Nature Reserve has been signed by over 10,000 people, less than 6 months after it was launched. The growing support for the proposal was recognised by the new Ealing Council Leader Peter Mason who met with campaigners on Warren Farm last month to discuss the future of the site.  

The proposal to designate Warren Farm and surrounding meadows by the River Brent as a statutory Local Nature Reserve (LNR), was developed by the Brent River & Canal Society (BRCS), which – under its founder Luke Fitzherbert – campaigned successfully to create the Brent River Park (BRP) in the 1970s. The Warren Farm Nature Reserve campaign group was launched in January of this year.

Since Ealing Council stopped using Warren Farm as a sports facility, the meadows have rewilded and now form a unique urban grassland. Species of birds, mammals, plants, reptiles and insects – which are rare in London – have been recorded thriving on the land. This proposal would preserve the meadows for future generations and ensure the protection of its rare and endangered species such as the Skylark, a red-listed bird facing UK extinction. 

The BRCS and Warren Farm Nature Reserve campaign, which was initially inspired by young conservationist Kabir Kaul, has also gained the backing of some prominent environmental campaigners, such as Lord Randall of Uxbridge, forensic botanist Mark A Spencer, Barn Owl Trust, West London Ramblers and London National Park City. The inclusion of Warren Farm in CPRE London’s ‘Ten New Parks’ campaign recently featured on a BBC London news report.

With councils across London facing challenging biodiversity net gain targets, areas like Warren Farm have assumed a critical importance. It is highly unlikely that Ealing Council would achieve its climate emergency goals if this species-rich site were to be developed. 

BRCS Trustee and campaign organiser Katie Boyles commented:

“We are absolutely delighted to have achieved 10,000 signatures on our petition within 6 months of starting the campaign. London has just half the green space it needs for a population of its size. Lockdown has opened peoples’ eyes to the importance of local nature and it is clear from the huge level of support we are receiving that residents want to see green spaces like Warren Farm protected.

We were recently invited on a walk around Warren Farm with Peter Mason. Together we discussed the possibility of some limited sporting usage, but our position remains that our rewilded meadow must be left to nature.

We simply cannot afford to lose this vast wildflower habitat. The biodiversity loss would be catastrophic for Ealing. We have plant species recorded growing here that are facing UK extinction and our proposal fulfils goals set within the council’s own policies in their Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy. We are in conversation with the council and this is how change begins. Now it’s over to the Leader of Ealing Council and the Mayor of London to make this happen.”

BRCS trustee and local naturalist Phil Belman said:

“We have asked Peter Mason to initiate those aspects of our Vision which do not depend on any decision on sport. This includes completing Local Nature Reserve procedures for the Brent River Park Meadows, already approved by councillors, improving public access and signage at Warren Farm, starting LNR negotiations with adjacent landowners and bringing in new byelaws.

Councillor Mason has committed to deliver Ealing Council’s Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy and new Biodiversity Action Plan. The BRCS Vision is an acid test of his leadership and good intentions, and we expect him to take this opportunity to deliver actions, not just words.

The people of Ealing want our politicians to do the right thing and save the meadows of Warren Farm for future generations to enjoy. 10,000 people wait to hear.’

www.WarrenFarmNatureReserve.co.uk