Ealing Council is to begin the closure of the nearly 100-year-old Perivale Park Golf Course which will see play stopping and it being turned into a new park for the borough.
Golf players and supporters of Perivale Park Golf Club have accused the council of being “guilty of misleading the public” over the way it has consulted residents and made its decision.
On Monday (18 March 2024), Peter George, Ealing Council’s strategic director for economy and sustainability took the decision to permanently close the golf course. This is the start of the process for works to transform the course into a accessible park which the council says could then become part of a new much larger regional park.
In a statement, the council claims a new regional park: “has the potential to be as transformative for west London as the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park was for east London.”
It says a recent public consultation to open a new regional park in Perivale saw more than 6,000 taking part with 62% of residents supporting the closure of the golf course and golf club attached to it in order to have a park.
Councillor Peter Mason, leader of Ealing Council said: “The transformation of Perivale Golf Course into a new park that could eventually become part of a regional park will realise a historic ambition for Ealing Council. The Elizabeth II Park has transformed east London and a park of this size has the potential to have similar positive effect on the borough and west London too.”
Dave Chapman, a spokesperson for Perivale Park Golf Club said: “The council have been told throughout this shameful consultation process how vital this local community 9-hole flat golf course / cafe has benefited the health and well-being for many older Ealing borough residents.
“They also disregarded the online petition of over 3,500 signatories, and the paper petition signed in person at the cafe by over 2,500, which included not only golfers, but residents, walkers / dog walkers, ramblers, runners”
Councillor Deirdre Costigan, deputy leader and cabinet member for climate action said: “Almost two thirds of residents have backed our plan to open this new park in Perivale, which will be the second of the 10 new parks we promised to deliver, and we hope will eventually form part of the regional park. We’ve already got plans to plant wildflower meadows and install benches, paths and new signage in the park but we’re looking forward to designing the final layout in partnership with local people – including agreeing a new name.”
“As part of our plan to eventually integrate this new park into the regional park, we could see areas of forest, wetlands and new habitats for wildlife created in the future. We also want to explore the potential to continue to provide a cafe as we know that’s something residents would like to see in a regional park.”
Mr Chapman added: “Ealing Council are guilty of misleading the public. The public consultation process gave the impression that those taking part were choosing between several exciting innovations contained within a new regional park. It also gave the impression that the closure of Perivale Park was a vital first step in establishing the regional park.
Councillor Polly Knewstub, cabinet member for thriving communities, said: “A new regional park in the borough provides a very real opportunity for us to improve the lives of Ealing residents, unlocking access to green space to meet friends, play sports and experience world class music and performance and arts.”
