Campaigners against over development in Southall have held a protest outside Ealing Town Hall today (11 October 2022) from 9am to voice their concerns and opposition to plans by Labour-run Ealing Council and Peabody to develop 564 new flats spread across multiple buildings.
A government public inquiry began today inside Ealing Town Hall and will last eight days which will allow residents views to be heard. Afterwards a decision will be taken if the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) for The Green should be allowed.
Campaigners say they are taking a stand against what is happening both in Southall and across other parts of Ealing with the growth in recent years of high rise buildings.
Balraj Purewal one of the campaigners told EALING.NEWS why they are there and concerned by what is happening. “We are here in front of Ealing Town Hall protesting against the massive overdevelopment in our community. They’re putting up monstrous kinds of buildings as high as 23 storeys. The community businesses are going to be taken over through a CPO and if we lose the whole nature of our community will go.”
Another campaigner told EALING.NEWS: “They plan to build without any thought of infrastructure needs for peoople such as school places and GP surgeries. We don’t have enough already and this will cause even more problems. Both businesses in the area as well as residents are going to suffer.”
The campaigners say that high rise flats will also reduce much needed car parking for visitors to the Dominion Centre and to businesses as the developers plan to offer no more than 90 parking spaces on the development.
In details of their plans, Peabody said on its consultation website: “Parking for residents living at The Green will be minimal given the development’s accessible location. However, 90 parking spaces will be provided to replace the existing car park on Dominion Road.”
In a statement, the campaigners said: “Ealing Council and Peabody Housing are planning to develop 600 new flats on Southall Green/Dominion Car Park and reducing car parking at the Dominion Centre Car Park. This is happening without listening to residents and without any improvements in the surrounding infrastructure. There are no plans to either create additional medical surgeries or school places.”
Despite campaigners saying they are not being listened to, Peabody claims it is listening to local residents and fully engaging with them. In its consultation website for The Green development it said: “We currently own and manage over 500 homes in Ealing, with more than 750 homes (including The Green) in our pipeline. At The Green, our ambition is to work with the community to deliver a great place to live, which will have a significant impact both locally and for London.”
It also confirmed how its plans to allocate the housing with 50% being for rent as “affordable housing”. “The Green will provide 564 new homes, including 50 per cent (by habitable room) as affordable housing (London Affordable Rent and Shared Ownership) and the rest available for private sale.”
Simon Barry, regional development director said in a statement following approval by Ealing Council to its plans: “We are pleased that our plans have been approved for The Green to become a destination and a home for hundreds of residents. The Green will create public spaces for new and existing residents to live and socialise, whilst connecting them to green space and providing new jobs. “We are looking forward to continue working with Ealing Council, the local businesses, community groups and local residents to transform the town centre at The Green.”
Leader of the opposition of Ealing Council, Liberal Democrat Councillor Gary Malcolm told EALING.NEWS: “Liberal Democrats have said for many years that residents are tired of Labour-run Ealing Council ignoring their concerns and imposing tall developments in places people do not want. Ealing Council should improve the way it engages with residents.”
Over the last couple of years, residents have raised their concerns but they feel Ealing Council has not listened to them.
On a Change petition, created by Shree Sorathia Prajapati Community (SSPC) in Southall, concerns have been raised about the impact the development will have on the religious, cultural and business communities.
“This car park is absolutely essential for the local businesses and community to both survive and thrive,” said one person.
“This car park is vital for continuation of all cultural and social activities of peace loving SSPC community with thousands of members,” said another person.
EALING.NEWS has approached Ealing Council for a comment.
