Forum Topic

Is Acton a Cinderella Town?

Ealing Broadway is undergoing a major transformation what with Dickens Yard, and across cross the road there is a new Morrisons, McDonalds, and a larger TK Maxx. Then further along Ealing Broadway Station,  is slowly improving.In the Ealing Broadway Shopping Mall they are doing a new Town Hall Square with fancy paving stones, new planting, everywhere is improving.Then compare this with Acton, OK we now have an improved Town Hall, but the so called Shopping Mall is a disgrace. The shops were closed far too soon, going in there today was a very unpleasant experience with a strong smell of sewage.What on earth is happening to Acton? Why is it taking so long to start work on The Oaks. If this delay goes on for much longer the other shops in the High Street will probably suffer loss of revenue because they cannot compete with other areas.I love Acton and it is sad to feel this way but it has to be said.

Jean F Fernandez ● 4109d13 Comments

Acton unfortunately has become a cash cow on one hand and a dumping ground on the other. There seems to be a small majority of people passionate about living here, the rest couldn't give a monkey's.

Glenn Young ● 4107d

I don't think the reason given for selling off the library and the car park is correct. We (I was one of the members of the community on the 'Town Hall team') were initially told that the library had to be sold for this (no mention of the car park), but later were led to believe that, with the price of housing in Acton skyrocketing, the town hall development could be paid for simply by selling off the 'old town hall' (the part fronting Winchester Street) for flats, which it has been. Selling the Churchfield Road car park to The Oaks developer was done simply to fill council coffers. I have no problem with that – just with how it was done and what we're going to get in return.

Nancy Duin ● 4107d

I asked Julian Bell if Passmore Edwards had put any covenants on the use of the library when he gifted it to the people of Acton. He said no but perhaps lawyers have found otherwise. Councillor Bell said the council was obliged to sell it to the highest bidder and that selling the library and the Churchfield Road car park would pay for the development of the old town hall building.He also said that the council is forced rather than wants to make huge cuts to facilities and services.I would have preferred the Acton Arts people to have acquire the library building. A broader use was intended: theatre, cinema, community space and so on.

Fran Leslie ● 4107d

I think those of use with long memories will see this as a very familiar story. In the mid-1970's I ran the shoe repair next to HSBC Bank (now a cafe, apparently) and even then we were wondering what would happen to Acton High Street. Later, in the early 80's I moved down the high street to Sketchley's. In all, I think I worked in the high street for about 10 years. Back then, the cinema was where Morrisons is now and we had a Woolworths and I think a Marks too, as well as a fairly large Co-Op department store. We used to speculate about which shop would cause the most devastation if it shut down. And of course, one by one they did all close down. But then we also used to watch the very old population that used to swan past our window every day too. What you actually have now is a lot better than it was. But Acton High Street suffers a major problem. It's too much of a through road to be much good as a high street. There is no parking on the high street itself and the pokey car park in Churchfield Road is not much cop, while the Morrisons car park is too far away. The other problem is the units aren't really big enough to attract major brands. It is also betwixt and between. You've got the vibrancy of Ealing on one side and the now upmarket Westfield on the other, so unless it can somehow reinvent itself as some kind of a specialist high street, its just going to go downhill even more.

Shaun Joynson ● 4107d

Dunno - no-one will say.But I was told earlier that the covenants, as long as there was some form of public access, would not be restrictive.This was ages ago but at that point the council had determined that going and eating at a Nando's or somesuch constituted "public access" and would be fine.Maybe there has been new advice. Something is obviously causing a hold up.

Sara Nathan ● 4108d

Great points, Nancy.  Totally agree, although perhaps not on the excessive density levels.

Angela White ● 4108d

Sara,  Restricted Covenants on the Library??

Iain Muir ● 4108d

I was one of the 'small but vocal minority who offer no commercially viable alternatives' who attempted to get The Oaks development modified so that it would have a good design and not split Acton in two. The Oaks Action Group wasn't/isn't against development or even density levels that are much, much higher than they legally should be. We just wanted something that would look good and work well for the community. Unfortunately, the law to do with development is very much against communities, and our council is much too guided by the officials of the Regeneration and Housing department, who do not live here and are uncomfortably cosy with the developers. I personally would greatly welcome the opportunity to work closely with the council and developers to ensure that Acton gets the best. But all the 'consultations' we are subjected to are just box-ticking exercises – our opinions, experience and counsel are simply ignored. Peter, are you suggesting that we simply accept anything a developer proposes?

Nancy Duin ● 4108d

I keep asking Curzon why it is taking so long and it seems there are legal hitches over the Old Library - though I have no idea what they are.

Sara Nathan ● 4108d

Peter, you fool yourself if you think the people who will buy these flats are going to live in them - most of them will be bought for investment, not homes, and either left empty or rented out to those who can't afford to shop anywhere, let alone our High Street, because the investor has charged so much.  And, objectors do have alternatives - for example, our residents' association has tried several times to meet and talk about alternatives on the Friary Park estate.  The Council and Catalyst haven't been interested in listening.  Your posting presupposes the Council and developers will listen!!  Ha, ha, if only!

Angela White ● 4108d

And why is it taking so long to start work on the old library building?

Chris Hurley ● 4108d

Part of the problem seems to be that every proposed development is met with a barrage of criticism, abuse, planning objections, judicial reviews and negative publicity by a small but vocal minority who offer no commercially viable alternatives.The only way the High Street will attract new, better quality shops and restaurants is when there are sufficient consumers with disposable incomes to make them sustainable. That will only happen when there is more housing available for sale on the open market.Meanwhile the regeneration of the South Acton estate is a wonder to behold.

Peter Millman ● 4109d

Jean, you are so right. We are like the unwelcome guest.

Jan Farlow ● 4109d