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Ambitious plans for Old Oak Common a step nearer

It’s not strictly local but the ambitious plans to develop Old Oak Common in Acton will surely have an impact here.  According the the BBC news website Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities, has approved plans to redevelop Old Oak Common.  The plans include:

24,000 new homes

55,000 new jobs

A massive new station for Crossrail and HS2 by 2026

There’s also talk of QPR moving to a new stadium there though their plans have miffed Cargiant in Scrubs Lane as QPR seemed not to have discussed their plans with them and they own a big chunk of the land concerned.

 

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Drug arrests made in raid on Chignell Place

According to the Ealing today website Chignell Place in West Ealing is cordoned off by police.

Chignell Place is an odd little cul-de-sac off the Uxbridge Road.  In Kensington, Knightsbidge or Mayfair a little dead-end street like this would be prime property whereas in West Ealing it has a bit of a suspect history.  I can remember it once had a night club and a rather good Caribbean restaurant.  Now it has some cafes and other small businessses. It has, and has had for a long time, an edgy feel to it and I know many people who quite simply won’t go there as they don’t feel safe.  I can remember going there a few years ago to count the number of shops for a WEN survey and in no time at all someone was out an at my side asking what I was doing and why.  There have been stories of traffic wardens being afraid to go there to enforce parking rules and even of yellow lines on the road being painted out.

More news when we have it.

UPDATE Tuesday 20th January

The police made six drug-related arrests and found quite large quantities of the now-illegal drug khat.  The police said the raid was carried out as a a result of community concerns over drug dealing and anti-social behaviour.  This is certainly true as I have been to various meetings over the past few years where exactly these problems have been raised, particularly over Chignell Place. There have also been complaints about drug dealing and anti-social behaviour in and around St James Ave directly across the road from Chignell Place, so this police action is welcome news.  In the long run we need to find a way to make the pedestrianised area at the top of St James Ave more well used by locals as it’s a dead space at the moment and consequently attracts drug dealers because they won’t be disturbed by people walking by.  WEN has tried to do something with this space, including a monthly craft market, but we never managed to find a way to succeed. I know the West Ealing Business Improvement District team is working on an idea for St James Ave, so I hope sooner rather than later something will come to fruition that changes the nature of this area and gives us a good reon to go there and make use of it.

More details on the Ealing Today website

 

 

 

 

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Ealing Music & Film Valentine Festival 10th-15th Feb – celebrating Ealing’s Polish Heritage

‘Ealing has a massive world-class heritage of music and film.  Our film studios defined the British Film Industry; our musical traditions include Rock, Classic, Jazz and Voice.  This year – our third – we are focusing the programme of music and film around a theme of Our Polish Heritage; this is an incredibly rich heritage for us in terms of both composers and performers – of all genres.  Our aim is to bring together world famous musicians, actors, film producers and a host of celebrated performers to give us all an insight into their artistic world, bringing their talents to as wide an audience as possible. Remembering that The Festival Trust’s charitable aim is to invest any surplus in helping young local people develop their cultural skills and awareness through targeted support to projects, local schools and youth organisations.  As last year we have a focus on young players and artists, and we are including some in the programme as part of our charitable outreach support and investment in the young talent in Ealing.’

There is masses going on over the five days with classical music, Polish folk music, jazz, films talks and much, much more.  You can find out full details and how to book tickets on their website.

 

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Plans for redeveloping the Sherwood Close Estate now available

The plans for the demolition and redevelopment of the Sherwood Close Estate is now on the Council’s website. Here’s a summary from the application:

 

The Proposal: Demolition of all buildings within Sherwood Close (including 209 residential units, parking structures and ancillary buildings) and the construction of 305 new residential units (88 x one-bedroom, 157 x two-bedroom, 52 x three-bedroom and 8 x four-bedroom in a mix of housing tenures) in four apartment buildings varying between two-storeys and nine-storeys high and a row of three-storey townhouses; a 70 sq .m community space (D2 Use Class); associated energy plant room; refuse and recycling facilities; storage for 410 bicycles; 122 car parking spaces (comprising 86 spaces on-street and 36 spaces in an under croft parking area); site-wide hard and soft landscaping including public, semi-private and private amenity space and public realm improvements; the closure of part of Sherwood Close and reconfiguration of the public highway including the construction of two new north-south streets between Sherwood Close and Tawny Close, and the construction of new pedestrian / cycle routes between Sherwood Close, Tawny Close and Northfield Avenue and other associated works.

 

This is a major redevelopment right in the middle of West Ealing.  It will take some years to complete as it has to be done in stages in order to rehouse residents whilst the old blocks are demolished.  Like all such developments  there will be a mixture of types of housing, including a nine-storey block of flats for sale on Northfield Ave at the top end near the junction with Mattock Lane.

There are a lot of papers to read through for this application so more news once I’ve had the chance to look at them in more detail.

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‘Vivid and imaginative theatre’ – Sarah Kane’s powerful 4.48 Pyschosis at Questors Theatre in January

The Sunday Times has picked out the Sarah Kane season at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre as one of its ‘ hottest picks’ for 2015.  However, you don’t need to go to Sheffield to experience Sarah Kane’s talent and reflect on the loss to the theatre of her suicide at just 28.  Ealing’s Questors Theatre has Sarah Kane’s 4.48 Psychosis on later this month.  It describes the play as follows:

A rhythm of raw beauty – vivid and imaginative theatre

“Here am I
and there is my body
dancing on glass”

With its powerful use of the most beautiful and poetic language we are drawn into the pained world of Kane herself at one moment in time: 4.48am. Sarah Kane’s masterpiece is theatre as a text for performance rather than a play. It is about love and about survival and about hope.

Several weeks after completing the play, at the age of 28, Sarah Kane committed suicide leaving this her masterwork – an affirmation to live rather than a suicide note.

This production will be an unforgettable experience – an evening of vivid visual theatre, raw and beautiful.

Suitable for ages 16+
Contains disturbing adult themes and smoke

Details of tickets etc here

Wednesday 28th January 2015

I saw this play last night and was very impressed with what is an extremely difficult play to stage. There are no named characters, no specific voices given to any character and no indication of how many performers or of any gender.  Having said that I thought Questors put on a powerful and inspiring performance. An abiding memory of the play is the stark staging and dissonant music which caught the fractured mood of the mind of what I take to be the central character.  It’s interesting that the music changed to something much more melodic right at the very end.

For me, the play gave great insight in to the mind of someone with serious depression and the mood swings, the darkness, anger and humour that flickers like a faulty light never knowing what is coming next.  Questors staged Sarah Kane’s play with an all female cast with some strong performances and is well worth seeing.

 

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Join the Queen of the spoken word this Saturday 7.30pm at OPEN Ealing

Zena Edwards, Queen of the spoken Word Saturday 20th December

When:Saturday 20th December
Where: Green Man Lane Cafe, Singapore Road, W13 OEP

Doors open at 7.30pm
Tickets: £10 available on the door
(Concessions £8; Green Man Lane residents £5)
There’s an amazing opportunity to see Zena Edwards, Queen of the Spoken Word, when she performs at Green Man Lane Cafe on Saturday. “She’s a poet of consummate skill who effortlessly melds hip-hop grooves with a worldly Afro-centric wisdom.”

This month Zena is supported by:
– Leeto Thale, a published poet and “renaissance man” who is currently the resident poet at the Arc Gallery where he is cultivating the synergy between art and poetry. His writing predominantly covers art and social commentary.

– Marcina Arnold, professional singer and recorded artist whose rich and versatile voice enables her to cross genres. With Celtic & South African roots combined with her exposure to jazz, blues, soul & world music at a young age this fusion is present in her voice and writing.

– Larry Bartley has become one of the most sought after bass players on the London jazz scene with an identifiable sound that announces his presence.

The evening won’t be complete without you. If you are a poet and would like to share your work, or just want to read your favourite poem. You are warmly invited to join Zena and her friends on Saturday 20 December for an amazing evening of poetry and music.
If you just want to sit back and soak up the ambience – you are in for a pre-Christmas treat – wine, mince pies and the like!

 

Learn More about Zena here:

 

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Public exhibition of new plans for Ealing Broadway shopping centre Sat 29th Nov 11-3

There’s an exhibition  and public consultation on plans to develop and refurbish Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre on Saturday 29th November from 11am – 3pm. Full details on their website

Below is a brief summary of the proposals we will be discussing:

  • Improving the town hall / public plaza to host events;
  • Refurbishing 54 Broadway (Crystal House) to create a new entrance to the Centre;
  • New homes for rent above shops at 54 Broadway;
  • Future improvements to International House, to first-class office space standards;
  • Upgrading the car park, including modern lighting and card payment facilities.

 

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Seven day GP access for Ealing Patients

I thought this was worth publicising.  The whole question of whether or not Ealing Hospital’s A&E dept remains is highly charged.  My own experience of Ealing Hospital A&E earlier this year was excellent but it makes sense to try to encourage people to use a GP service for straightforward problems and take pressure off A&E.


Seven day GP access for Ealing patients

Ealing residents are now able to access GP services 7 days a week, thanks to a new service launched by NHS Ealing Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

People who feel unwell on Saturdays and Sundays should call NHS 111 for medical help and advice. If the trained 111 adviser thinks they need to see a GP, they will be directed to the nearest open practice.

The GP weekend opening service is an alternative to A&E for people with non-life threatening illnesses or injuries. GP practices are working as local groups to offer this service, with practices taking turns to open at weekends.

Dr Mohini Parmar, chair at Ealing CCG said: “We have introduced this service as part of our drive to encourage people to use the correct service for their need.

“We know that many patients attend A&E when their GP practice is closed, even if they don’t have a life-threatening illness.

“We want to encourage patients to be seen in primary care for non-life threatening illnesses, so hospital services can prioritise those who are seriously sick or injured.

“We hope that if people feel they need to see a GP over the weekend they will call 111 in the first instance and go to one of the local GP practices, rather than going to A&E with an illness or injury that can be treated by a GP or pharmacist.”

The new service is part of Ealing CCG’s out of hospital strategy, which aims to bring care closer to home and into a local, more familiar environment for the benefit of the patients.

Using this service will not affect your registration at your own GP practice.  If you are not registered with a GP, you can still call 111 and they will help you access the right service for your needs.

Calls to 111 are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and are free from landline and mobile phones.