Are we cynical to ask why plans for multiple massive tower blocks are coming forward in the school holidays. Is it to avoid public scrutiny?
“While residents are away developers will play” More towers planned whilst we’re all on holiday
The first wave of four new towers is planned for the Majestic Wine site.
Come along to the Drayton Court Hotel on Thursday 13th from 4pm-7pm to see the developer’s exhibition for the student units on Hastings Road.
Remember the 4 massive tower blocks they showed us last time consisting of 408 student bedsits? Well that can only be improved upon so let’s see if they’ve actually listened to the overwhelming feedback that no one liked their last plans.
And don’t forget. The site is focused on Majestic Wine premises so that will impact on what will be built on the Halfords garage next door.
The Site Specific Guidance on this site in the councils new local plan is up to 13 storeys. Which is still taller than the original SSG as this site immediately borders 2 storey Edwardian homes.
Manor Road
Henry Construction are in administration which has seen a halt in many of the council’s developments (eg. Dean’s Gardens car park) as well as major builds such as the mega block at Tesco Perivale and of course the as yet unstarted Manor Road site. The Manor Road site is now a derelict area with a small security hut. Rumours of the site being sold are circulating, so have Southern Grove finally seen sense and realised you can’t build a Big Ben sized block on such a tiny patch, especially now as it seems they’ll have to include a second staircase in line with new building regulations?
STT wonders whether Henry’s will be moving their hoarding back in line with the boundary of the site and giving residents back the pavement they took away without consent. We’re also curious to see who will be repairing the damage to the footpath by the old station entrance, caused when the hoardings were put up in the wrong place. One for Ealing Council to take up with the liquidators? Or will council tax payers be footing the bill for this folly. Again!
Waitrose and John Lewis (JLP)
Never knowingly letting us know what’s going on.
According to Ealing news, JLP submitted their planning application and had made adjustments but not to the heights. In other words arrogantly ignoring the Site Specific Guidance on that site and all the feedback from local people, our MPs, Cllrs and stakeholders.
According to the Leader of Ealing Council, Peter Mason, they have not: When challenged by STT on 7th July, Peter claimed the JLP plans for their West Ealing Waitrose site had not yet been formally submitted and they were still at the pre-application stage.
Simon Baker from STT Said: Already we’re hearing mixed messages from Peter Mason. Pre-election he promised to ‘clamp down’ on tall towers. And tweeted that he wouldn’t be bullied by JLP. Will he be sticking to his guns, and keep his promises to the people of Ealing or will we see failed election promises?’
One thing that Cllr Mason did say, was that the local plan could be overruled by the National Planning Policy Frameworkn(NPPF) in presumption of favour.
Does this sound like a bit of rehearsal of his excuse when it’s approved?
Surely the NPPF would respect the years of work put into that of a site specific guidance in a local plan?
Otherwise. What’s its actual point?
Ealing Council need to show confidence in their own work and not let developers like JLP ride roughshod over local opinion and democratic local planning rules.
Now if only Ealing Council had some published missing housing figures….?
Thank you for your support
PS The Tide Construction website for the Majestic site still currently contains the old design files – maybe they will update them on Thursday? www.42hastingsroad.com