WEN Public Meeting on Thursday 8th October at the Drayton Court Hotel 7.30pm
Changes on West Ealing Broadway
The building that for years was used by Daniels home furniture store (132 – 138 Uxbridge Road) which has been empty for months is being advertised as the site of (yet another) gym.
The two somewhat run down art deco buildings at the northern end of St James Road are now boarded up. Although the planning status of both sites is ‘Awaiting Legal Agreement’ clearly work has begun on the 129 bedrooms at 105 -113 Broadway and the 86 bedrooms at 99 – 103 Broadway. These developments are described as ‘Homes in Multiple Occupation’ (HMOs).
Removing the four year growth of trees is underway at the old Woolworths site (96 – 102 Broadway). No doubt we’ll see the upwards development of the 286 bed hotel later this year.
The now demolished KwikFit site (131 – 137 Broadway) is now being sensibly used as a small private car park.
And soon to be implemented are changes to Leeland Road – the site of the 15 year old weekly Farmers Market. This part of the Council’s ‘LiveWestEaling’ initiative. What we can look forward to includes:
- One way traffic only – southbound
- A cycling Contra-Flow
- Re-sited pedestrian crossing
- Loss of car parking spaces in Leeland Terrace.
During the implementation of the changes, the Saturday Farmers Market will be re-located to The Avenue (W13 8 PH) as from Saturday 27 June 2026.
One of the empty shops on our high street. What will our high street look like in five years? What shops and services will be there and who will be using them? – David Highton
News 20 May 2026
Ealing North MP Becomes Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
James Murray MP has been elevated to become a Cabinet Government Minister. He represents some business and residents in the eastern sector of West Ealing. Sadly he has no prior experience in health and social care but has experience in management consultancy, housing and finance. He replaces Wes Streeting MP whose tenure as Health and Social Care Minister lasted less than two years.
Ealing Southall MP Becomes a Government Whip
Deidre Costigan MP who represents some West Ealing centre residents and businesses has been given the grand title of Junior Lord of The Treasury, a role in the Government Whips’ Office.
Notes from WEN public meeting of 16 March 2026
These notes include information about the newly formed West Ealing Action Group, Your Voice Your Town which has replaced the old ward forums, the ongoing controversy over Lammas Park, progress at West Ealing Community Library and updates on the many local development sites such as Waitrose, Gurnell, Woolworths, Manor Road and more.
Click here for the full notes
1.Police
The new Met Police service Met Engage https://www.metengage.co.uk/ is worth signing up for.
There will soon be no police station open overnight in the borough. Councillors urger to lobby police to change this and keep one open.
2.West Ealing Action Group
Laura McLean, Area Manager, Regeneration, Investment and Jobs at Ealing Council gave a presentation.
Ealing one of 12 boroughs to get £50k funding for High Street Place Labs. The aim of this project is to improve the high street over the next three years including:
- repurposing empty shops and buildings
- improving ‘back street connections’ that link areas together eg Canberra Road, Melbourne Avenue, Walsingham Road etc
- Developing the night time economy
Two meetings of local stakeholders have been held so far and the third is tomorrow (Tuesday 17th March).
3.Your Voice Your Town
A Council initiative, following the end of ward forums, to encourage community involvement in local decision making. Each of the borough’s seven towns has a budget for grants to local projects. Also, a mechanism for residents to have say in how some of the Community Infrastructure Levy money will be spent in their area.
4.Lammas Park
This remains a controversial issue with some residents. Cllr Driscoll explained the current situation and defended the creation of a wetland in the park as part of the overall scheme. The temporary fencing around the area will come down soon but it will be kept around the newly planted areas.
5.Pear Tree Park
A newly created park as part of the West London Regional Parks Corridor (see slides on this).
6.West Ealing Community Library
Catherine Fitzgibbon ran through the wide range of activities now available at the library. The library is looking for volunteers to help keep it open from 5-7pm in May and June for students to study for their exams. Anyone interested please email friends@wecl.org.uk
The library is run by West Ealing Community CIC, a not-for-profit organisation. It is close to signing a Licence to Occupy with the Council. It has also strengthened its governance with some new directors.
There will be a Community Library Spring Party on Saturday 25th April.
7.Development Sites
Dean Gardens
The half-complete buildings will be demolished following the bankruptcy of the original builders – Henry. The Council’s insurance covers a small part of the cost of this.
Green Man Lane
A2Dominion are closing in on appointing a new contractor following Rydon going out of business.
Gurnell Leisure Centre
Concerns raised about due diligence on the Council’s preferred partner Vistry.
There will be a high percentage of affordable housing in the 300 flats proposed for this site.
£3million will be spent to de-risk the site prior to the new leisure centre being built.
Kwik Fit
A private development so the Council can only encourage the developer Luxgrove to get started.
TIDE – Hastings Road
Work on the planned 400 plus student homes has now commenced.
Manor Road
Still concerns over traffic management on this site next to the station. The Council will follow up with the developers on these concerns.
St James Ave
Another Luxgrove development. Work yet to start on the planned HMOs
Waitrose
Although the John Lewis Partnership has pulled out of its plan for rental homes on this site, it is still pursuing its planning application and may seek to sell this on to a developer. Given the timing of this application it will now include a CIL contribution to improving local infrastructure.
Woolworths
Also a Luxgrove development.
Sherwood Close
Concerns raised about the quality of some of the new buildings, especially over locks to stop intruders.
Work started on the private housing site close to Northfield Avenue.
8.Felix Project
This charity collects and distributes surplus fresh food to food banks, charities etc. It distributed 18,000 tonnes last year.
9.Dean Gardens
Needs some cleaning up.
10.Hanwell Carnival
London’s oldest carnival is back in 2026 0n Saturday 20th June. Volunteers are welcome and details on their website –https://hanwellcarnival.co.uk/
11.West Ealing Station Elizabeth Line
Disappointment that the additional trains on this line will not be stopping at West Ealing given its planned population growth over the next few years.
12.School Streets
Questions asked about the effectiveness of School Streets given over 250,000 Penalty Charge Notices issues since 2020.
13.Road Works A lot of disruption in West Ealing caused by road works at the start of this year. The Council is looking at ways to improve this including plans for lane rental charges
March 2026 newsletter
An invitation to WEN’s public meeting, and a look at Ealing Council’s way of handling a Freedom of Information request
The newsletter can be viewed here.
December 2025 newsletter
In this issue:
- Stop The Towers: a valiant effort has ended
- Victoria Hall: another valiant effort stymied
- Ealing’s Local Plan: up in the air again?
- West Ealing Liveable Neighbourhood
- West Ealing Action Group
- Your Voice Your Town
- Library news
- LAGER Can
- Meetings with Waitrose developers
- Book Group
- Ealing Churches Winter Night Shelter
- Free Christmas Events
The newsletter can be viewed here.
Notes from WEN public meeting of 14 October 2025
Topics of the meeting included: Lammas Park East Lodge and flood alleviation; West Ealing Community Library; policing; Your Town Your Voice; West Ealing Action Group; Victoria Hall; Stop and Shop+; and updates on the many local development sites including Dean Gardens, Gurnell, Majestic Wine Warehouse site, Manor Road, Waitrose, and the old Woolworth’s site.
Click here for the full notes
These notes are not intended to capture everything that was said at the meeting. They are just trying to capture some of the main items discussed.
1. East Lodge
The original planning application was withdrawn. Over 3,000 objections. Questions asked about why the lodge has not been included in a conservation area. Cllr Manro explained the delay caused by the staff member involved having to leave and took time to recruit a replacement. A new application may yet come forward.
2.Lammas Park and Flood risk works
The Council has authorized flood risk alleviation works in three of its parks – Lammas, Dean Gardens and Belevue Park Park. The aim is to capture excess surface water and then release it slowly back in to the sewer systems in order to avoid flooding at times of heavy rain,
The Lammas Park works have caused much local concern over the area of park taken up, delays in works and worries about e-coli in the water. Cllr Driscoll, cabinet member for climate action, spoke to this and explained the actions being taken by the Council and Thames Water to investigate possible misconnections to the sewer systems and rectify any problems. The works have yet to pass their final tests, so no date yet for completion.
3.West Ealing Community Library
Catherine Fitzgibbon is leading the group negotiating with the Council to take on the lease for the library which is run by volunteers. Her priority at the moment is to recruit new directors to join the board of West Ealing Community CIC which will be the organization taking on the lease. It is a small not-for-profit organization and needs to strengthen its governance in readiness for running the library. Anyone interested in joining the board please email – info@mywestealing.org.uk
4.Law and Order
David Highton, chair of WEN, said he was clear that our local MP Deirdre Costigan, our local councillors and the police themselves are all well aware of the level of concern about anti-social behaviour, drug dealing and drug taking in West Ealing.
He stressed the importance of people reporting ASB so the police have a record of it as this helps decide how they will deploy their teams. (details of ways of reporting are on the WEN website – www.westealingneighbours.org.uk )
There will be a new team of eight police who are being recruited for Ealing Broadway town centre. He said it was important that West Ealing was included as part of the town centre so they would spend time here.
5.Town Teams/Your Town Your Voice
This is a new initiative. Each of the boroughs seven towns now has a town team set up to encourage local community involvement in deciding how to spend their allocation from the initial £480k budget for the borough. They will later be able to have a say in how the 10-15% of moneys from the Community Infrastructure levy will be spent. The team covering West Ealing is in the process of setting up guidelines for organisations wanting to apply. The one for Hanwell is not looking for applications.
6.West Ealing Action Group
This is another newly set up group. The Mayor of London has allocated £50k to improve the West Ealing high street, re-purpose empty shops, explore night-time activities and more. Any group interested in joining can email Cllr Manro – manros@ealing.gov.uk
7.Victoria Hall
The largest public hall in Ealing is owned by a charity. The Council wants to dispose of it to a hotel developer. Friends of Victoria Hall (FoVH) have been battling to save it for the community. The final phase of the legal battle over its future comes to a head in November. FoVH are looking for funds to help pay their costs – https://savethevictoriahall.weebly.com/
8.Stop and Shop
Some confusion over the introduction of a new scheme by the Council. The main reason for the new scheme is to stop people parking for hours or days in these short stay spaces. The Council has no way of knowing how long people have been parking in these so little or no enforcement. Under the new scheme people will have to register first before parking for their free 30 minutes. However, they can then extend their stay by paying for more time.
There was concern over people who did not have the smart phone needed to use the parking app. Cllr Driscoll explained there are alternatives such as some high street shops offering ‘pay point’.
Later clarification: The transaction charge is 10p and not 20p when using the ‘pay by phone’ app. We are in the final year for the 10p charge. It might go up in the future.
9.Development sites
Dean Gardens car park
Cllr Manro confirmed that the work on this site will almost certainly have to be demolished and a new contractor found to start again.
Green Man Lane
Phase 4 soon to be underway once a new contractor has been appointed.
Gurnell
The leisure centre and housing are separate projects. Work on the leisure center should start early 2026
Kwik Fit site
Demolition has started. No date yet for the building work.
Majestic Wine Warehouse site
A change of plans means it will now be student accommodation with towers of 17. 14 and 5 storeys. The Council has negotiated a cash payment because of this change and loss of potential social housing.
Manor Road site
Much concern about the management Manor Road by the contractor and many felt it was an accident waiting to happen. Cllr Manro will ask for this to be checked.
Orion Park
A contractor should be appointed soon
St James Ave
A change of plan to a more modest development as Luxgrove haven’t found a housing association willing to but the planned social housing element. So, no bridge over the street joining the two sides.
Waitrose
No plans to start building until 2026. Waitrose have set up regular meetings with local groups to try to keep them informed about plans and progress. WEN is one of the groups involved
Old Woolworth’s site
Another Luxgrove development site. No work started yet.
Join the movement to shape West Ealing’s future!
Are you concerned about the future of West Ealing? Do you want to be part of an organisation dedicated to its improvement and transformation?
Become a Board Member of the West Ealing Community (WEC) Community Interest Company (CIC)
The WEC Community Interest Company (CIC) manages the West Ealing Community Library (WECL). This is a key activity in fulfilling its commitment to creating a vibrant, inclusive, and thriving neighbourhood for everyone who lives, works, or visits West Ealing.
We’re looking for passionate, forward-thinking individuals to join the WEC Board and help guide our mission. If you care about building community, sustainability, and local impact in West Ealing — we want to hear from you!
More …
💼 What Does the WEC Do?
WEC was established to “carry out activities which benefit people who live, work or visit West Ealing”. We are and continue to support and develop initiatives that:
- Promote arts, culture, and community events – including the SoundBite Festival in Dean Gardens and the Christmas Fair in December
- Create long-term community assets of benefit to the whole community, specifically managing WECL
- Build a strong sense of community, social cohesion and improve dialogue
- Improve community safety and the well-being of those who reside in or pass through West Ealing
- Support the development local businesses, job opportunities and enterprise
- Foster a sense of pride in the area’s open spaces, streets, local services and cultural activities
- Boost opportunity for innovation, creativity and development amongst businesses and residents’
🧠 Who Are We Looking For?
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds. You don’t need board experience — just a commitment to West Ealing and a willingness to contribute your time and talents. That said, we’re especially keen to hear from people with skills or experience in:
| Skill Area | Why It Matters |
| People management, recruitment and training | Having motivated staff, volunteers working to deliver our aims |
| Finance & Budgeting | Ensuring responsible use of funds and financial sustainability |
| Legal & Governance | Supporting our growth, compliance and ethical decision-making |
| Fundraising & Grant Writing | Securing resources to grow our impact |
| Marketing & Communications | Raising awareness and promoting our work |
| Community Engagement | Building trust and participation across diverse groups |
| Urban Planning & Regeneration | Shaping the physical and social landscape of West Ealing |
| Environmental Sustainability | Driving green initiatives and climate resilience |
| Arts & Culture | Enriching local life through creative programming |
| Small Business Support | Strengthening the local economy and entrepreneurship |
🤝 What’s In It for You?
- Make a real difference in your community
- Collaborate with passionate local changemakers
- Gain valuable leadership and governance experience
- Be part of shaping West Ealing’s future
📩 Ready to Get Involved?
To express interest or learn more, email us at info@mywestealing.org.ukor call David Highton on 07968 819016.
Let’s build a better West Ealing — together.
September 2025 newsletter
In this edition:
- Stop and Shop+
- Next WEN public meeting
- BEAT (Borough of Ealing Art Trail)
- West London Islamic Centre
- West Ealing Community Library
- Free Little Library
- Leighton Road and Elthorne Park Road Planning blight
- Victoria Hall: will it be lost to the community?
- West Ealing Action Group
- How to report a crime
- Street name stories
View the newsletter here.
Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)
Ealing is the last borough in London to implement a CIL, or rather try to. The levy’s purpose is to help the community afford to cope with the effects of large new developments – effects upon roads, bridges, schools, policing etc. This article relates a day in the government’s inspection of Ealing’s proposed CIL and the objections raised by various developers.
Click here for the full article.
This might be viewed as a continuation of our 10 July 2025 article within the Local Plan blog.
New Ealing Draft Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Government Examination
This examination took place at Perceval House, Ealing on Tuesday 5 August 2025. It was first scheduled to take place on 4 June 2025. However Ealing’s largest housing developer – Berkeley Homes – raised written objections to the draft proposals – so a new date was found to give time for LBE to gather together its response.
In its initial objection to the CIL proposals, Berkeley Homes said they first became involved with the old Gas Works site in Southall in 2014. This is not quite correct. National Grid had obtained outline planning consent to develop the site in September 2010. Berkeley then took over the project and gained a certificate of lawful development to proceed with it in 2013. Apart from its legal arguments, Berkeley is concerned that its CIL obligation could rise from its ’historic’ CIL bill of £22 million to one totalling £84 million. Berkeley plans to build 8,100 new homes on the old Gas Works site in Southall.
It is worth noting that had Berkeley got on with the job of developing the Gas Works site when it was granted planning permission 15 years ago, it would not be facing having to pay a CIL levy. But for all its claims to be building much needed new homes in the borough, by 2024 Berkeley had only managed to deliver 623 homes on the 88 acre site.
On 25 July 2025 Luxgrove Capital Partners (LCP) – ‘a real estate investment manager’ – entered the Ealing CIL fray. In a letter from Savills – ‘a global real estate service provider’ – representing LCP broadly echoed Berkeley’s concerns. ‘….the draft CIL Charging Schedule is not sufficiently justified and evidenced to ensure that it does not make development in the borough economically unviable, as envisioned by the Planning Act 2008’. LCP has interests in six up-market residential developments in Ealing.
Another objector to the levy is a charity which calls itself Christian Vision. Their written submission explains that Christian Vision is part of Lord Edmiston’s IM Group which owns the Sainsbury’s Superstore in West Ealing centre. It goes on to say that IM Properties has established itself as one of the UK’s largest privately owned investor developers’. IM’s owner Lord (Baron) Edmiston is a billionaire businessman and motor trade entrepreneur based in the West Midlands.
Before we get into the cut and thrust of the examination itself, it’s worth setting the scene for Ealing’s CIL.
The Local Authority CIL was introduced in 2008. Local Authorities (LAs) can use the CIL money for new facilities and community services which are needed to support new developments and the population they bring. These could be such things as transport, schools/colleges, medical/health services, sports and open spaces.
Ealing is the last Borough in London to be introducing this levy. LBE did publish plans to charge CIL in March 2015 and the Planning Inspectorate gave them the green light to do this in 2016. But for reasons that have never been satisfactorily explained, LBE never went on to adopt the levy. The up shot of this is that £millions which could have been raised and spent on infrastructure were never collected – and developers enjoyed a much easier ride in Ealing than they typically do in other parts of London.
Under the present proposals Ealing’s draft CIL highlights are:
Ealing Centre: £300/sqm
Rest of Ealing: £150/sqm
Student Housing £350/sqm
How does this compare with the other 32 London LAs? Well firstly pretty much all of London’s LAs have implemented their LA CILs – some of them 10 years ago! Some LAs have complex calculation formulae. However the following are current figures for residential development in other London boroughs:
Brent: £340/sqm
Hammersmith & Fulham: £100 – £400/sqm
Harrow: £187.11/sqm
Hillingdon: £156.73/sqm
Hounslow: £96 – £274/sqm
All LAs have to collect the Mayor of London’s CIL which for Ealing is set at £60/sqm. The Mayoral CIL was introduced in 2012.
To add to the possible confusion, Section 106 developer ‘taxes’ were introduced in 1990. S106 can be spent on affordable housing, transport, education, healthcare, green spaces and recreation, and community services.
In 2025/26 LBE estimates it will spend over £6 million in S106 contributions from developers. LBE also estimates it will collect between £60 million and £90 million in LA CIL by 2039.
The Examination
A bombshell burst before the start of the meeting. Will French of Ealing Matters asked if he could speak at the meeting. ‘No’ was the answer. Given the residents of Ealing are the clear major stakeholders in the town, this gagging order was inappropriate and just plain wrong.
Proceedings commenced just before 11am with the Government Inspector (ISP), Keith Holland, aiming his questions directly at Chris Wheaton and Nick Grant of Berkely Homes (BH). It became very clear very quickly the ISP had done his homework.
As per usual in Perceval House speakers were not encouraged to speak closely to the microphone. Both BH speakers could hardly be heard.
I’ve just chosen highlights that I could piece together from inaudible BH.
ISP repeatedly quoted data from Savills and expressed his annoyance more than once that Savills had not turned up at the meeting – although they had asked to attend.
ISP directly challenged BH ‘do you want Ealing to abandon its CIL?’
BH: ‘Yes’.
ISP: Surely BH must appreciate that Ealing needs infrastructure irrespective of its new draft Local Plan? In terms of development policies many of Ealing’s policies emanate from The London Plan – as do ones in other London boroughs?
BH: Inaudible.
ISP raised the following issues with BH – sales value, build costs, profit margins, abnormal costs, finance costs, and viability assessments.
ISP’s body language suggested BH’s answers were not impressing the ISP.
ISP punched holes in BH’s estimates of historic CIL costs and future (post Ealing CIL) costs
BH: ‘£22 million historic CIL costs.
ISP: No – you mean the Mayoral CIL – that’s £18 million
BH: new CIL would be £84 million.
ISP: No – around £60 million.
As to the 88 acre old Gas Works site in Southall:
ISP BH has stated it will not continue with development on the site if the Ealing CIL is approved.
Really’?
Goodness knows what verbiage came out of BH on that one
ISP: But all London boroughs have CILs – some more expensive than Ealing’s CIL proposals
BH at one point went on the attack:
‘LBE’s housing delivery record is a poor one’.
LBE tried to defend itself.
BH: Brent’s record is better’
LBE: A single supplier built 1,000s of homes surrounding Wembley Stadium’
More blunt BH: Why can’t the Green Quarter in Southall (site for 8,100 new BH homes) be zero CIL?’
ISP: Only two large sites in the whole of London are zero CIL.
BH: The Ealing site is a unique challenge
ISP: Explain what you mean by this
BH: ???
LBE’s contributions could mostly be heard, were terse and content rich.
ISP closed the hearing at 12:50pm – sparing any more embarrassment for BH.
My gut feeling is that Ealing’s draft CIL will be approved by the Government.
Eric Leach with input from Will French