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Sunday 6 November 2011

Feedback on yesterday's St Albans Church planning site visit

Yesterday morning myself, with fellow Southfield ward Councillors Andrew Steed and Harvey Rose, met the planning committee, developers, the Council's planning officer and residents to discuss the current proposals for converting St Albans Church into ten flats and a house.

Nearly 50 people turned up to welcome the Planning Committee of Ealing Council as they carried out a site visit prior to the formal meeting this Wednesday (9th November). In addition representatives from the developer and the Montesorri School attended. The hour long visit provided an opportunity for council members to acquaint themselves with the site and to also listen to comments from local residents.

It was pointed out to the Planning Committee members that a number of items trouble residents such as the lack of some details in the report (about an access road, recycling facilities) as well as losing a site that could be used as a community building. We also highlighted some of the possible alternative uses for the site that the council officers have overlooked. Many people took the chance to go inside the Church.

Fellow ward councillor said: "This was possibly the first and last opportunity for residents to view the interior of St Albans. It was actually quite a moving experience: the church is stripped of nearly all its furnishings but we saw some beautiful windows and memorials to First World War soldiers."

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