One shop closes and another one opens – noodle bar coming to West Ealing

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Sad to see the end of Blockbuster. It’s now closed down and we await to see what comes in its place.  The betting seems to be on Morrisons. I’m trying to get this confirmed but no luck so far. A few streets away in Leeland Road I saw a sign on an empty cafe announcing the arrival of a noodle bar. It’s taking over Joey’s cafe next to the Salvation Army hall. I can’t remember a previous noodle bar in West Ealing so it will be intertesting to see how it does. I wish it well.

More doctors needed for West Ealing

Sitting in the Grosvenor House Surgery in West Ealing yesterday morning I was struck by just how busy it was.  I’m not there all that often but often enough to know this was a very busy morning. Yes, maybe a Monday morning is always busy, but it felt more than that. The surgery was packed with people of all ages and more kept coming in and we had to shuffle round for new arivals to find anywhere to sit. If it’s as busy as this now what will it be like in a few years time when the Green Man Lane Estate development is complete and the population on it has increased from around 800 to some 2,000? Grosvenor House is the nearest surgery so surely most residents will look to register with it?

I looked up the 95-page document on the Green Man Lane Estate development that went to the planning committee on 1st September 2010 and it had this to say about healthcare provision:

  1. Education and Health There are currently 41 GPs working within 800m of the Site and it has been confirmed that all are registering new patients.  The development scheme will introduce 242 new households (approximately 1,250+ people) with a mix of age groups, which will require a range of medical facilities. The PCT’s preference for addressing the impacts of the development is to secure a monetary contribution for improved equipment/ facilities; and consequently the applicant has agreed to a clause within the S106 agreement contributing towards the borough’s health facilities.

Further on I found this:

a)    A contribution of £190,000 by the developer towards the improvement of healthcare provision in the local area;

So, if I’ve got it right, the developers pay £190,00 to the Primary Care Trust to address the impact on primary healthcare of some 1200 new residents. Since then, of course, PCT’s are soon to be abolished and replaced by the Clinical Commissioning Groups – in our case, a group of Ealing GPs will be responsible for designing and provisioning local health and care services (more details on this here).

Residents will soon start moving in to Phase 1 of the development and the whole development will take about 8 years to complete. That sounds like there’s lots of time but in a few years there will probably be hundreds of new residents already living there and needing a GP.  So it feels like planning needs to be underway now to increase the number of GPs and other healthcare services.  My next step is going to be to contact the Ealing Clinical Commissioning Group to find out what’s happening with the planning. I’ll post my findings as soon as I hear back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tackling crime in West Ealing – update from the police

Following our article in the January newsletter about law and order concerns in West Ealing, we invited Inspector Susan Hayward, Ealing Safer Neighbourhoods Manager, to respond. She  writes:
‘Ealing Borough Police are aware of the impact of these recent incidents of violence on the local community. Immediately after these incidents additional patrols by local officers and PCSOs were arranged to provide reassurance to both the residential and business communities. In addition to this, a number of residential and business properties in the area have been visited by members of their local safer neighbourhoods team.

Whilst several of these investigations are still ongoing, we have made a number of arrests which have resulted in individuals being charged and sentenced at court. We are making every effort to bring these offenders to justice.

We will continue to meet with the WEN to listen and to respond to any concerns. In order to co-ordinate a long term response to some issues raised, meetings have been arranged with representatives from the local Safer Neighbourhoods Teams, Local Authority Community Safety Unit, Local Ward Panel, Local Councillor, Local Church, Residents Association and Eric Leach (WEN) . This will allow Ealing Police to work closely with partners and the local community to address these concerns and develop plans to help in the future.’

WEN is interested to find out how West Ealing stacks up in the ‘crime stakes’ – in other words are we more crime ridden than other comparable areas, and if so, what can we do about it, if anything? One of our committee has been looking at recent figures and collating some preliminary thoughts – which we’ll include in the next newsletter. If anyone would like to contribute to this task, please email us – westealingneighbours@gmail.com.

Find out what’s new on the West Ealing high street

This information that follows is taken from our March newsletter and is based on Eric Leach’s work for the West Ealing Centre Neighbourhood Forum. It lists some of the major changes and developments in and around our high street. Not yet visible but likely to also have an impact is the £300,000 Council fund to help regenerate the high street. The Business Improvement District study (details below)  is the first major project to be funded from this source. Others will follow over the next 15 months.

Morrisons and InHealth

After being empty for some years the ground floor of Lovelace House is about to be fully occupied by Morrisons and a private healthcare provider called InHealth.

Morrisons opened a competitor to Tesco Express on 25 February 2013 with barely 150 yards separating them! Morrisons is occupying about one third of the Lovelace House ground floor flat /gym development at 96-122 Uxbridge Road.

InHealth will be providing clinically managed diagnostic services  on behalf of  the NHS. The company claims to be the UK leader in its field and is best known for providing diagnostic and imaging services including MRI, Ultrasaound, MSK, Echo, DXA, X-Ray and CT scans. The company sells its services privately as well as to the NHS.

Blockbusters

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After encouraging noises about the West Ealing outlet of this ailing chain staying open, we now know it is to close.  It will be interesting to see what site owner Catalyst Housing decides to do with the building at 101- 103 The Broadway. Rumour amongst nearby traders is that it will be a Morrisons supermarket. Morrisons has bought 49 Blockbuster stores. Arts centre OPEN Ealing have had designs on the vacant top two floors of the building for many months.

NHS West London Mental Health Trust (WLMHT)

Recovery Hub

WLMHT has secured a five year lease on the double fronted shop and Singapore Road accessible back yard at 134/136 The Broadway. The ‘debra’ charity shop was the most recent occupier these premises but it’s been empty for quite some time. It’s just next door to the Paddy Power betting shop at the western end of The Broadway.

The NHS plans to create a ‘Recovery Hub’ here and offer a range of activities including picture framing. The goods created will be sold in the Accession Community Shop at 56 Boston Road, Hanwell.

Bet Fred

Planning permission has been granted for this betting shop at 75 The Broadway (corner of Melbourne Avenue and The Broadway). However this may not get off the ground if the recent hotel Planning Application is successful (see next item).

New 60 Bed Hotel in West Ealing Centre?

Planned new hotel for West Ealing

A Planning Application has been submitted to build a 60 bed hotel on the corner of Melbourne Avenue and The Broadway. Some local traders are in favour of the plan but residents are concerned about lack of car parking, disruption, access, and health and safety issues. WECNF, West Ealing Neighbours, 100+ O’Grady Court elderly residents, Ealing Civic Society and others have submitted objections. The two street traders at the location have been told that if the hotel is built they will lose their pitches, which they have occupied for decades. Over 800 people signed a petition complaining about this.

New Traffic and Car Parking Proposals

Ealing Council is proposing to make traffic and public realm changes along The Broadway/Uxbridge Road, St James Avenue, Leeland Road and Green Man Passage. See previous post for details.

New Mosque

New mosque

Aerial view of proposed new mosque looking south with the front on Singapore Road

On 30 January 2013 Ealing Council Planning Committee granted permission to the West London Islamic Centre (WLIC) to build a new mosque, on five levels on the corner of Brownlow Road and Singapore Road. According to the WLIC web site the new mosque will be able to expand its visitor/worshipper capacity from 1,000 to 3,000. WLIC estimates that the new building will cost £6 million to build. Currently they have raised just over £1 million.

Business Improvement

Ealing Council has agreed to spend £17,000 to research the feasibility of setting up a Business Improvement District (BID) in central West Ealing. BID companies collect financial contributions from all the traders in that district and the money is spent – according to the traders’ wishes – to improve the trading environment. A successful BID company already operates in Ealing Broadway, and has done so now for over five years.

Green Man Lane Redevelopment

Rydon are clearly making good progress on completing Phase One of the new development. Along with new homes, Phase One includes a Community Café, Enterprise Units and Gym as specified in the 2010 Planning Application. The Gym Company pulled out of occupying the gym space many months ago and there have been discussions with the Council about the best use of this space but there are, as yet, still no definite plans.

With the café, discussions have been taking place between OPEN Ealing, the developers and the Residents Steering Group on a proposal for OPEN Ealing to take on this space and run it is a café theatre. More discussions are to take place on this proposal. The café site is due to open in October this year.

A key factor in OPEN Ealing taking on this venture will be a ‘repurposing’ of the so-called Section 106 development tax of £125,000 which was originally designated to pay for a national competition to produce a single work of art to go on the new development. The idea now being explored is for this sum to be used by OPEN Ealing for a range of community-related arts activities.

Sherwood Close Redevelopment

The selected new owner of this site Affinity Sutton (AS) have made a good start in engaging with the local community with regard to their aspirations for developing the site. They have conducted two open days at the site and presented their plans to the West Ealing Centre Neighbourhood Forum on 18 February 2013. Relocating existing residents, demolition and building work on the Affordable Homes is likely to begin in 2014. The homes for private ownership will be built in the final stage of the development. Affinity Sutton now occupy a ground floor flat in the Target House block of flats.

Anti-social behaviour is sadly a current feature of life on the estate. However led by Met Police Ealing, Ealing Council, Sherwood Close Residents Association and other local stakeholders a task force was formed on 29 January 2013 to address these problems.

Eric Leach

Changes planned for Uxbridge Road in West Ealing – plans on show at St James Church on Thurs 14th March

The Council wants to hear your views on its plans for changes along the West Ealing to Hanwell stretch of the Uxbridge Road. Key proposals include:

  • New 20 mph zones in Hanwell town centre and West Ealing town centre to improve road safety
  • Replacing the traffic lights at Hanwell Clock Tower (Boston Road junction) with a mini-roundabout to smooth traffic flow through Hanwell town centre. A zebra crossing and courtesy crossings would be introduced to help pedestrians. The one-way flow on Cherrington Road would be reversed to flow towards Church Road under this proposal
  • Creating a mini-roundabout and pedestrian crossings at the Church Road/St George’s Road Junction
  • Significant streetscape improvements which include a better defined town square at Hanwell Clock Tower, wider footways, new trees, removal of street clutter, re-energising underused public spaces in West Ealing
  • Additional pedestrian crossings by Westminster Road and at Eccleston Road, Hanwell
  • Removal of the westbound bus lane between Church Road and Eccleston Road to provide cycle lanes on both sides of the road
  • More pay and display bays in West Ealing.

Work should start in summer 2013 and take place in phases over the next two years.

Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for environment and transport said: “This stretch of Uxbridge Road can be difficult for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists alike. Our proposals will make it safer for while also making it easier to travel through Hanwell and West Ealing.

“The proposed changes are the result of listening to residents over recent years and we are keen to hear the views of as many people as possible so we’re putting on a public exhibition as part of this consultation.”

For more information on the proposals visit the exhibitions at:

  • Our Lady & St Joseph’s Parish Church, 52 Uxbridge Road in Hanwell on Tuesday, 12 March, 4-8pm
  • St James Church, St James Avenue, West Ealing on Thursday, 14 March 3-7pm

Some of these ideas  caused quite a stir at a recent Elthorne Ward Forum meeting and the West Ealing Centre Neighbourhood Forum has done a lot of work on transport and movement issues in West Ealing. I hope we will be able to hear the Forum’s thoughts on this blog.

You can find out more and comment online

 

Talking about West Ealing – join us for coffee on Saturday morning

If you fancy a cup of coffee and a chat about anything West Ealing you’re very welcome to join us for a coffee this Saturday morning at Silva Cafe anytime between 11.30 and 12.30.  The plans for a 60-bedroom hotel are likely to come up along with other changes and developments along the high street. If there’s anything you want to ask or need help with just drop in – we’d love to see you.

Petition against planned 60-bedroom hotel

Building a 60-bedroom hotel on the corner of Melbourne Ave and the Uxbridge Road looks almost certain to mean that some of the traders there – flower stall, card stall – will have to move. The plans for the hotel show a floor to ceiling glass window going part way along the Melbourne Ave side of the hotel. As a result, the traders are fearful of their future. Where will they be moved to? There doesn’t look to be enough room on the hairdresser’s side of the road for them all to fit in. As a result, they have started up a petition against the planned hotel and you can easily find it at the flower stall.

West Ealing Neighbours is considering its response to the planned hotel.  We recognise that this site needs redevelopment of some sort as it’s a bit of an eyesore but is this the best option for the high street? The sort of questions we are concerned about include:

  • Do we need another hotel? There are two budget ones half a mile down the road – Premier Inn and Travelodge – plus the revamped Drayton Court Hotel by West Ealing station.
  • It’s not likely to create all that much new employment for such a central high street site.
  • There is no car park planned. Admittedly, most guests will probably come by public transport but will that bring extra pressure on the nearby roads which are currently CPZ free but getting more and more heavily parked up.
  • It will mean more lorries crossing Melbourne Ave to access the rear delivery bays and do we want this? Some years back we proposed that a new access road go through part of the library car park. This was turned down because the mobile library bus was parked there overnight. The bus has now gone so we come back to the idea of lorries delivering to Lidl’s and the other shops by this new route and not across the mainly pedestrianised Melbourne Ave.
  • Luckhurst’s the butchers will have to close for at least 6 months whilst the building work takes place. Tony Luckhurst runs one of the few traditional butchers left in the area. Will he re-open?

 

 

 

 

Reprieve shortlived as Blockbusters in West Ealing to close

Photo0272Sadly, the reprieve for the West Ealing Blockbusters has been short. There is a large Closing Down sign now on their window. I’m sorry for everyone who works there and for the loss of what appears to be a profitable branch. It will leave a hole on our high street and it’s a challenge for us as a residents group and others to find a way to bring this part of West Ealing back to life.

60-bedroom hotel planned for the centre of West Ealing

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Site of proposed new hotel

A planning application has been lodged to redevelop the eastern corner at the Uxbridge Road end of Melbourne Avenue. The proposed site covers the area from Luckhurst’s the butchers up to the Uxbridge Road and then above the currently empty corner site and above the new Brighthouse store. The existing first floor will be retained and two new storeys added. All the existing ground floor retail units will be retained, including the new Betfred betting shop which has an agreement to take the corner unit.

Planned new hotel for West Ealing

 

 

Illustration of new hotel (ignore the Ibis sign) Copyright Milan Babic Architects

There is a host of documents online about this application and I have only managed to skim them so far. There is some confusion in the documents as the official application is for a 60-bedroom Easy Hotel though at least one of the documents refers to a 70-bedroom Ibis Hotel. I can only assume the latter is an earlier version.

Easy Hotels are a franchise operation and are part of Stelios Haji-Ioannou’s business empire and, from their website, they offer hotel rooms from around £35 a night.

It’s quite extraordinary that after years of having hardly any hotels, Ealing and West Ealing now have a brand new Premier Inn and Travelodge within yards of one another plus the newly converted Drayton Court Hotel,the boutique Hotel Xanadu in Bond Street and the Best Western Maitrise Hotel in West Ealing. Is it all down to the likely impact of Crossrail?

I’m puzzled why such a major development for West Ealing has been delegated to officers for a decision rather than going to committee. This could be a very significant change for the centre of West Ealing. It may mean hotel supplies being delivered along Canberra Road and across Melbourne Ave. There is also no parking provision for hotel guests. A thriving hotel in the heart of West Ealing may well make a significant contribution to the local economy and help improve our high street. Even so, to my mind, this is a major development and ought to go to the full committee for a decision.

If you want to comment on this application you can do so online  and the closing date is 22nd February.