Ealing Council has extended the deadline for inviting residents and businesses across the borough to provide feedback and comments to its draft new 15 year local plan by two weeks. The closing date to respond is now 8 February 2023 instead of 25 January 2023.
A council spokesperson told EALING.NEWS: “We have been listening to the feedback that hundreds of residents have already provided on the local plan consultation, and we have now extended the consultation period by a further two weeks until 8 February 2023.”
The Ealing Council spokesperson added: “This will mean that the consultation will run for 10 weeks in total, ensuring that all our communities have sufficient time to review this important document and give feedback on the proposals.”
Among the areas the Labour-run council is inviting input on is housing, education, transport, leisure and climate issues. But opposition parties say more is needed from the council and are also concerned that Ealing Chiswick is not fully mentioned in the consultation.
In a statement, the council said: “The Local Plan will shape planning decisions about homes, infrastructure, climate change, jobs, and how we can address health and inequalities in the borough in the near future. It also shows what needs to be protected, conserved or enhanced such as green spaces, canals, heritage assets, shopping areas and employment space. It guides future development and lasts for 15 years.”
The new plan follows its Shaping Ealing survey which took place between November 2021 and May 2022. The council says more than 10,6000 people and businesses took part and provided their views on local facilities and communities.
Councillor Shital Manro, the council’s cabinet member for good growth, said: “The information gathered from Shaping Ealing helped us put together the draft new Local Plan. And now we want to hear what you think about it.”
The consultation period now lasts until 8 February 2023 and the council is undertaking a number of initiatives which it says will allow a variety of views to be heard including online, face to face events and filling in forms by hand.
Council leader Peter Mason added: “Ealing is changing. It always has. It always will. Our task, together as residents, businesses, and people who care, is to shape it to be the kind of place we want it to be. This process is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to have a say in how our home will develop over the next 15 years, in ways that touch almost every aspect of everyday life.”
Commenting on the consultation, Ealing Liberal Democrat Councillor and leader of the Opposition on Ealing Council Gary Malcolm said: “Liberal Democrats want to see more affordable housing but the Labour Council are currently failing on this area as well as they have missed some of their targets. There need to be more emphasis on accessibility for those with disabilities and the need for much more emphasis on ensuring that new buildings are zero carbon to help the environment.
“We need to ensure that the council does not allow developers get away with building buildings that are too dense. One of the biggest change of this document is the move from corridors around the Uxbridge Road and A40 to developing everywhere which many people may not like.”
He added: “Sadly there is no mention of Chiswick in the council’s document. Do the council not care about Ealing Chiswick residents? From the Shaping Ealing consultation residents in Ealing are not happy about how things are going. This local plan is something the Liberal Democrats have called for since 2019. It is a chance for people to raise issues like tall buildings. Liberal Democrats would like to see as many people give their views as possible.”
Ealing Green Party chair Neil Reynolds told EALING.NEWS: “Although only at draft stage the local plan is a crucial document. It sets out how the council intends to proceed over the coming years. The Green party welcomes proposals to reduce pollution, carbon emissions and to create new green spaces. Sadly, so far, the administration has been better at making pledges rather than taking action. I urge all residents to participate in the consultation, to make sure the council delivers on its promises.”
Previously, EALING.NEWS raised a number of questions to Ealing Council including the process for feedback and accessibility to the documents. An Ealing Council spokesperson provided the following response to questions.
1. Why it is only 2 months consultation when the Shaping Ealing ran for 6 months? Will only having it for two months limit the number of people who take part compared to all those who took part in Shaping Ealing?
Shaping Ealing was a substantial engagement exercise (not a statutory consultation, like that required for the draft new Local Plan) which had a number of different purposes. It has informed many strands of the work that Ealing Council does, including the draft policies and ideas in the draft new Local Plan.
The Local Plan consultation is required by law to run for a period of 6 weeks. Ealing has made the decision to consult for longer than required.
This draft new Local Plan is the first formal step on the way to having a full Local Plan and there are other consultations that will happen at each step of the way, including an Examination in Public which must happen before the plan is adopted.
2. Are there or were there plans for the consultation to be in HTML so people can search easily instead of having to download numerous PDF and word documents? Why wasn’t it also in HTML.
It is a very large document and therefore too big to be created this way.
To help make sure that all of our residents are able to take part in the consultation on the new Local Plan, translations into the nine most widely-spoken community languages are easily accessible via quick links on the webpage.
Translated versions of the new Local Plan summary document are also being made available. People will also be able to complete the short survey about the plan in their own language if they wish to do so.
3. There seems to be very little reference to Ealing Chiswick, how do you want residents in this part of Ealing to take part?
We would like all residents to look at the whole plan and give us feedback about it. There are many stakeholders involved in the consultation including statutory bodies and neighbouring authorities. This is a wide consultation looking ahead at least for the next 15 years and thinking about how the future development of the borough might come forward and in what way.
Please look at the website to see all of the different ways you comment and engage. New Local Plan | New Local Plan | Ealing Council
4. For residents with visual difficulty is there a version for larger text or an audio version?
The plan is available to view online and paper copies are also available at all libraries throughout the borough. If residents are having particular difficulties, please contact us directly at localplans@ealing.gov.uk to let us know about your individual needs and we will do our best to respond to them.
5. If residents are housebound and unable to get out and who don’t have internet connectivity, will the Council send a copy of the printed version to their home if requested?
Please contact us directly at localplans@ealing.gov.uk if you or any resident is having a particular difficulty with being able to access the plan. They are available at all the libraries in the borough and at Perceval House.
How to find out more and provide input on the draft plans
- Visit the Local Plan page on the council’s website
- email: localplan@ealing.gov.uk
- Write in to: Strategic Planning Team, Perceval House, 14–16 Uxbridge Road, London, W5 2HL
- Printed hard copies of the Local Plan are available at all local libraries, and at the council’s Perceval House offices in Uxbridge Road, Ealing (W5 2HL). These locations alspo have forms for people to submit handwritten comments and to pop them into a box to be collected by the council. Local libraries can be found here.
- Pop-up consultation events will be held in Ealing’s seven towns of Acton, Ealing, Greenford, Hanwell, Northolt, Perivale, Southall. To find out more click here.
