Colonial Drive Planning Meeting – the outcome‏

Earlier today (well Wednesday night) I attended the Ealing Council planning committee where the Colonial Drive application was discussed.

Let me thank all of the residents who attended the site visit last weekend or the planning committee meeting a few hours ago.

In the meeting, residents Malcolm Haxby and Jan Hewlett as well as Southfield ward Councillor Harvey Rose, spoke up against the developer’s planning application. They listed the many reasons why the set of 100 or more flats would be bad for both the skyline and the nature reserve, as well as the likely parking issues that the development will cause.

Sadly, Ealing Council’s planning committee voted 7 to 6 to approve the plan. This means that it is highly likely that the 100 or more flats will be built on Colonial Drive, next door to the currently tranquil Gunnersbury Triangle Nature Reserve.

It was totally wrong for Ealing Council to allow such a large development next to the Gunnersbury Triangle Wildlife Reserve. The 100 or more flats will cause parking problems and will harm the flora and fauna in the reserve. The development is too high and too near to the reserve. Well over 1500 residents in the area signed petitions to show their disgust at the idea of this development that is an over development. Ealing Council has made a grave mistake for the sake of £1.9 million given by the developer.

Given Ealing Council’s decision tonight your ward councillors and others will be looking to any legal avenues where the decision could be challenged (perhaps via the Mayor of London). This may not be possible but we will be looking in the near future to see what might be possible.