Forum Topic

Once again Ealing council give away the rights of Acton people to developers

My name is Diana O’Neill I live and work in Acton, I live in a small private Road of 30 flats which is behind 1st Avenue and between Armstrong Road and Ashfield Road it was part of the Wormwood Scrubs prison officers estate ( a community which has been in Acton since 1954 and now no longer exists due to Berkley Homes/Ealing council)  we are the last remaining piece of that community. The Home office sold the flats 1-30 Sir Alex to prisons officers over the years ( which now has private owners as well as prison officer owners)  and then in 1992 they sold the freehold of the 3.1/2 acres land that the estate sits on to the owners of these flats and Sir Alexander Road Management LTD was born. We have been completely self sufficient since, we changed the lampposts 5 years ago, put up resident only gates at the Armstrong Road end of the estate (got planning permission for them) we have never asked or received anything from Ealing council.2 Years ago the home office/goldsmith sold a parcel of land (which had 60 flats on it housing prison officers) to Berkley homes, they are now building Napier West 3 estate which will contain 384 flats and 33 town houses and it stated on the decision from the planning office of Ealing that there would be No Access between the new estate and Sir Alexander Close.This year Berkley homes applied for planning permission from Ealing to develop Sir Alexander Close from 20  2 storey 3 bedroom houses which were perfectly fine and had officers living in them up until just over 2 years ago when the home officer threw them out and gave them no option but to move into the 3 purpose built key workers blocks that Berkley homes built especially for them ( hand in hand with the home office/council) This former part of our community has been left empty and has become derelict for over 2 years. This year  the council have given them permission to build 24 3 and 4 storey town houses which the residents of Ashfield Road and Sir Alexander Road strongly opposed, the height of the buildings. Loss of light, density and for Sir Alexander road the proximity of this new part of the Berkleys estate is feet away from our blocks, they made a small concession to move them a bit further away, but not to reduce the height. They have also given them permission to have access rights for pedestrians and cyclists over our private land but not just for the 24 houses but for the whole estate all 384 flats , 33 towns houses , 3 key worker blocks and the 24 houses in the Close. But the council say that when they put “no access between Napier West 3 and The close” what they meant was no vehicles but there was for cyclists and pedestrians, nowhere on that planning decision does it say that, Can they print one thing and then say that’s not what they really meant ???? But they have also stated that Berkley homes can fence their estate off with no access to us through their estate????  Also they say that because the former estates of 60 flats and 20 houses  (we were all one community) had pedestrian access, Berkley Homes do now!!!  So I have to have the foot and cycling traffic from over 500 units pass 6 feet from my flat, this is a 400% increase but the council seem to think this is acceptable ????? not one planning officer or councillor on the planning committee has visited Sir Alexander Road , there is an 11 foot fence between Sir Alex Rd and the close (erected by Berkley Homes 2 and a half years ago, no planning permission??) when they had there site visit on 25/7/2011 the planning committee only visited The Close and did not come behind the fence at all.  How can they make an unbiased decision when they have not looked at the situation from all sides, this smells very bad as I know they have received £385000.00 from Berkley Homes in section 106 money and decided at the committee meeting 27/7 that none of it would be spent in East Acton but somewhere else in Acton?  And NOT ONE of the 384 flats or 33 town house on Napier West 3 estate or the 24 town houses to be built on Sir Alexander Close are to have any social housing in them.  That is 341 flats and houses being built in Acton but all are private I thought the role of the council was to make sure its residents and constituents were housed not to line big developers pockets maybe I was wrong.How can a council give away the rights of the private home owners of Acton and hold their heads up, something is very wrong in our planning office and our council because they are putting big business before the people of Acton and theirs rights. Ps I have all the documentation to back this up.Best regardsDiane O'Neill07951603224

Diana O'Neill ● 5469d14 Comments

Diana,I have been saying for a long time that there is a need for an Acton Residents Association with a voice that could speak for the majority in the area on planning issues.Until such time that this happens, as it does in other Boroughs, this kind of thing will continue to happen, and with the new planning rules about to come into being, it will be happening more frequently.The residents association would need someone on its Board with in depth planning experience who knows their way around planning law.

Dee Cook ● 5469d

DeeAre you up for it?I don't know how the RB of K&C operate but, Ealing council should take a leaf out of their book.  It looks like the attitude of Ealing council is to put all the misfits in one place.  I was under the impression that Acton was to be regenerated but, clearly this is not the case.  It's build, build, build, on every piece of land.  How many back-handers are being given to the council by developers and, how much of it is legal?

Nicola Howard ● 5469d

Back-handers are never legal but it quite wrong to allege that there are any without evidence. You are accusing the planners of criminal behaviour and I don't think there is anything to back that up. Lack of fibre possibly, ineptitude and over-work almost certainly.But taking back-handers?really?

Sara Nathan ● 5469d

At the same time, we shouldn't be naive about such things either.There also seems to me a readiness by this Council to fudge and obfuscate, quote the Human Rights or Data Protection Act at every chance, etc., etc., etc.,; anything but provide clear, lucid, factual answers to justify their actions.Go figure.

Rosco White ● 5469d

£385,000.00 section 106 money for them to let developers take away the rights of Freeholders seems like a perfect incentive to let them (Berkley Homes) do what they want, this is a fact. The council also received a huge payout (section 106) when they allowed them to develope Bromyard House. Incentive or back hander what is the difference. I thought when you owned a freehold the council or anyone else could not give away your land, so keep an eye on your gardens because some developer might get permission from the council to build there. An Englishmans home is his castle unless you live in Acton.

Diana O'Neill ● 5468d

There is an urgent need for as much of Acton as possible to be included in the Conservation Area which includes Churchfield Road.  If Churchfield Road can be included, then I do not see why not all the other Victorian / Edwardian Streets cannot be included.  Lest we lose everything of value in the area.  Witness the recent paving over of an Edwardian frontage with grey bathroom tiles in the area - for car parking!What Resident Association is going to take up the challenge?'Conservation Ealing is renowned for its varied heritage and historic townscape, including almost 600 listed buildings, and 29 conservation areas. The following pages provide information and guidance on how these important heritage assets can be preserved and enhanced to ensure the exceptional character of Ealing is retained.Ealing's 29 conservation areas are a rich assortment of nineteenth and early twentieth century residential development, treasured open spaces, industrial and transport heritage and remnants of ancient villages.  The council seeks to preserve and enhance these areas and resist inappropriate development. This is achieved through the exercise of planning controls under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning General Permitted Development Order 1995, the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990''Restrictions within conservation areas In conservation areas, normal 'permitted development' rights (permission granted automatically for certain works to single dwelling houses) are restricted. This enables more control over the size, design and location of extensions and alterations'.

Dee Cook ● 5467d

Hi DeeHow can we make this happen as we were part of the Goldsmith Estate/ and the Home Office from 1919 til 1992 when we got the freehold. Our flats were build in 1933 so pre 2nd world war, purposely build for the officers working at Wormwood Scrubs.

Diana ONeill ● 5467d

Developers run training courses for their staff on council procurement and the best way to win contracts (via the use of "incentives") so to think they don't do similar things for to obtain planning permission is definitely naive.Don't blame the developers, blame the councils who give them the permissions.

Sarah Harris ● 5466d

Two formal Complaints have now been made about the Council's Planning Department to the Chief Executive and to the Director of the Environment Group regarding the appalling handling of our case in Friars Place Lane on the "Goldsmiths' Acton Estate".Please see the two recent postings in the other topic "Acton Residents Unrepresented Again!!" elsewhere on this Forum.You may be surprised at the antics of both the developers and the planners.  Please see what happened to us. What do you think?

Charles Chara ● 5463d

Diana with regard to pedestrian access you might want to look into existing Easements & Covenants.

Rupert Picken ● 5463d

As I said elsewhere I suspect this is a Rights of Way issue rather than Planning. Berkeleys acquired part of an estate, serviced by an access road which serviced both parts.Berkeleys are generally keen on keeping their expensive new homes protected from the hoi polloi by electronic gates....It might be the case that LBE preferred to see access opened up for cyclists/pedestrians. Will the access be gated and therefore only open to Berkeley residents from the neighbours side? If it is not a Right of Way issue presumably the freeholders can build a wall....(subject to planning of course!....)

Iain Muir ● 5463d

Hi Ian, I am really struggling with this as I know nothing about planning and dealing with Ealing council and planners is a nightmare, any help from anyone would be gratefully received, Victor is being a tremendous help. The history of the estate Sir Alexander Road is it was land originally owned by the Goldsmiths at the turn of the last century, it was purchased by the works department and then purchased from them by the prison service department, back in 1919, a few years later they built 30 flats for the prison officers of Wormwood Scrubs, they then leased land from the Goldsmiths to build 20 houses (Sir Alexander Close)in 1954 and then a further plot for 60 flats on Bromyard Avenue. Up until 2 1/2 years ago when the home office threw the officers out of the houses and flats and put them in purpose built key workers blocks built by Berkley homes. Up until then we were one community, this is what is stated in the covenants between the home office and the goldsmiths, we are now the only part left of that community which has been there since 1920, so we only ever had a minumal amount of human traffic with this monster estate of 384 flats and 57 town houses, how can it be right for the council to grant them pedestrian access over what is now and has been private freehold land since 1992, it was not an issue when we were all one community, all 110 dwellings but what they are building is a 400% increase there must be a law against it. And what you say is true, they are putting a gate up so they can go through our estate but we cannot go through theirs, now someone in the pallners office has got it terribly wrong but I need help to put it succintly to them, any offers?????

Diana ONeill ● 5461d

What a wonderfully written contribution that says everything. I am rung almost daily by the inhabitants of the giant Berkeley Homes who want an allotment, on account of no space given to growing food on this enormous site. I have got an agreement for them to provide a community growing area after they have finished their third block. I have my doubts , but as I wrote to their boss Mr Pidgley I trust it will happen. I commend what Brighton's Green Party rulers have done, making all developers provide growing and open space on new sites if they want planning permission. Time I feel to dump Labour, Conservative and the Lib Dems and start all over again. The Home Office should also shoulder much of the blame.

Michael Wale ● 5460d

Diana, I am not sure what more I can add. From memory the freeholders did not want Berkeley to have car access over your road and won that battle, were you involved? Presumably that debate established what rights the freeholders had versus Berkeley as to access from their side, to yours? The most recent planning, for the houses, may have included a gate in the boundary but that does not impact on whether Berkeley residents have the right to use that gate and to cross your land. But if a right of way exists this may well take precedence.I suggest that the planning department ought to be able to explain all this to you. If they have failed to do so I suggest you contact one of your ward councillors and ask them to intervene. Cllr Hitesh Taylor lives locally, email him at his LBE address. As I said elsewhere the planning for the majority of the Napier estate was granted in 2008 by the previous administration, this gave precedent to the latest permission, of which you complained of. Planning decisions are generally based more on planning law/practice than politics. There are exceptions! Good luck with resolving your concerns....PS You appear to have two names on the forum, neighbournet are not keen on this and have suspended members in the past. I suggest you delete one of them....

Iain Muir ● 5460d