Forum Topic

Garden grabbing in W. Ealing: opportunity to comment

A developer, the “Maybria Group”, proposes to replace one house and its garden at 18 St Stephens Rd, West Ealing W13 8HH, with a 4 storey block of 9 flats (with a total of 22 bedrooms, but only 4 parking spaces - and no affordable housing).Details and pictures of the house they plan to demolish are here: https://nethouseprices.com/property/details/myb11_MYB1000034/St%20Stephens%20Road%2C%20Ealing/rent?source=nestoria&utm_source=www.nestoria.co.uk&utm_medium=referralThe planning application is open for consultation until 23rd May at www.ealing.gov.uk (application no 181865FUL). So far, comments on the application from local residents, myself included, are all objections for a range of reasons, including potential for subsidence from basement digging in a subsidence-prone area, loss of light for immediate neighbours, loss of garden, potential traffic problems as the house is next to a junior school, etc. The comments are available to view on with the application - and there’s the opportunity to add comments until 23rd May.

Liz Haas ● 2728d15 Comments

Don't suppose anyone got a photo

Libby Kemp ● 2518d

The planning application was approved last night. Afterwards when the Planning Committee had finished, outside the Town Hall, at the base of the steps towards Longfield Avenue, the Chair of the Committee, Councillor Shital Manro seemed to be very affable and over familiar when talking to the developer's agent from Belsize Architects.This does not reflect well on the integrity and impartiality of the Planning Committee under the present Council administration.

Anthony Hawran ● 2518d

The Planning Committee will debate this application in the Town Hall at 7pm tomorrow 12th Dec.The meeting is open to the public to attend. Comments can also be added to the planning application at https://pam.ealing.gov.uk/online-applications/ Application no 181865FUL

Liz Haas ● 2520d

Planning Committee visit to Ranmore, 18 St. Stephen’s Road, this Saturday 8 December at 10.15 am. The demolition of this quite unique heritage building has been recommended by the Planning Department, for no good reason at all, and no provision made for affordable or social housing. If you can, get up there Saturday morning and “mill around” so that the Committee councillors are made aware of how Ealing residents take a dim view of this sort of destructive, perverse planning policy. If Ranmore goes, a terrible precedent will be set.

Judith Jaafar ● 2525d

I am not surprised that you are concerned about the development you write about. I live next to a detached building which purchased by a so called developer to build 4 independent flats. Despite of opposition to this plan it was passed for development because there was an agreement given that certain conditions given was linked to the weight of SECTION 106 Guarantee.It is now 4 years since and the site which was once a beautiful house ,now lies un-occupied and every 2 years changes ownership at a huge price rise.It is riddled with Vermin ,protected by a covenant but still none of the promises carried out, even SECTION 106 has never been signed .Ealing Solicitor knows about this and ignores the facts.Could you blame me or the people of the street believing that there is Understandable suspicion about our planners in Ealing priorities.

Os a whittle ● 2526d

These would be a mix of 1, 2 and 3 bed flats, most with no parking, no outside space or balconies and some with basement rooms. They wouldn’t be great family homes.The company that owns the house paid £2.6m for it, plus presumably around £226k in stamp duty and will want to make a significant profit on what they’ve spent so far plus their legal fees and building costs. To do that, they would have to sell the flats for £4.5m, so £500k per flat, so the flats won’t then be available to anyone on an average income.

Liz Haas ● 2530d

Dennis, yes Ealing does have a need for housing, but not expensive flats for couples. In 2015 - 2016 Households in temporary accommodation in Ealing was three times higher than any other borough in London.  The rate of eligible homeless people in Ealing, not in priority need for housing was more than double the rate in London and more than three times the national average.  It will have gone up since 2015 - 2016. The number of households on the housing waiting list for 2017 was 11,500. When estates such as South Acton are rebuilt often only 50% of the tenants are rehoused on the original estate. Yes we need housing, we need family units of three or more bedrooms, not one or two bedroom flats, only about 87% of new build will be offered at Social Rent, 40% of market rent, previously known as Council House Rents and London Living Rents which are 60% of market rents, Social Rents are being moved up to this level. Affordable Rents which is the type most developers get away with are 80% of market rents. The average family is unable to afford London Living Rents never mind Affordable or Market rents which these developments are allowed to charge.  The units in this development will probably be sold at around £550,000 per unit. Is this what we need?

Libby Kemp ● 2530d

Dennis, yes Ealing does have a need for housing, but not expensive flats for couples. In 2015 - 2016 Households in temporary accommodation in Ealing was three times higher than any other borough in London.  The rate of eligible homeless people in Ealing, not in priority need for housing was more than double the rate in London and more than three times the national average.  It will have gone up since 2015 - 2016. The number of households on the housing waiting list for 2017 was 11,500. When estates such as South Acton are rebuilt a maximum of 50% of the tenants are rehoused on the original estate. Yes we need housing, we need family units of three or more bedrooms, not one or two bedroom flats, only about 87% of new build will be offered at Social Rent, 40% of market rent, previously known as Council House Rents and London Living Rents which are 60% of market rents, Social Rents are being moved up to this level. Affordable Rents which is the type most developers get away with are 80% of market rents. The average family is unable to afford London Living Rents never mind Affordable or Market rents which these developments are allowed to charge.  The units in this development will probably be sold at around £550,000 per unit. Is this what we need?

Libby Kemp ● 2530d

It may seem a silly question but, doesn't Ealing have a severe shortage of family dwellings?It's nice to see the council have got it covered

Dennis Bailey ● 2531d

This awful development of 9 flats to replace one Edwardian house is still on the cards, even though this planning application has attracted 210 objections and over 1,000 signatures on a petition.It will be debated by the Ealing Council Planning Committee on Wed 12th Dec at 7pm, at Ealing Town Hall.You can also view the plans and comment on the development at https://pam.ealing.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=P7H26DJMMSR00 (planning application 181865FUL)

Liz Haas ● 2531d

There are lots of empty new flats.I hope that the Council doesn't have any properties just sitting empty.

Philippa Bond ● 2715d

Putting a building on a garden doesn't absolutely nothing to help Ealing Council provide affordable housing. The fact that quotas by the Mayor’s office or Central Government cannot be met by infill sites. Labour Harrow has not allowed buildings to be built in gardens for years and that hasn't caused that borough any problems defending their policy.

Nicolas Ozegovic ● 2715d

It isn't just the Council though - the Government has tried to make it easier for developers by relaxing the rules.

Philippa Bond ● 2716d

Garden grabbing has been around for many years in Ealing. The problem is not only associated with this administration but also the last Conservative Council in power. In 2007 The Peacehaven a Local listed Building on the Springbridge Park Estate in Acton was sold to an Israeli Property Owned Company Based in the British Virgin Islands. They basically submitted one application after another until Ealing Planning Committee on the 14/07/2015 approved the final application to carve up the land to the rear of the main house and build 2 houses. On the night several conservative Councillors approved the plans including a Condition "For every tree felled a new 1 should be planted". I now find out that in May 2018 as work started that condition 9 has been discharged and change approved by the Head of Planning David Scourfield without a new application to alter the Planning Conditions associated with the original planning permission. Ealing Labour Councillors have increased and the new strengthened Labour Group will not change and for the Wimps in opposition they will only go with the flow.... Unfortunately, applications will get passed regardless of local objections and any planning conditions will be ignored or not even enforced.

Nicolas Ozegovic ● 2717d

Property developers seem to be gaking over Acton and Ealing . Family homes all being converted into flats. They have thenmoney to fightour appeals time and time again. We have managed to save one house but now fighting to save two others, . . We have lost eleven family houses in my road alone. Soon will not be any houses for families. Incidently the flats are still on the market as are the expensive new houses built over the past two years.  The are huge open plan places with dug down basements to house thenkitchen and garden . All squashed close together as well with little privacy  . Windows look ninto neighbours windows. !!

Beryl Bashford ● 2728d