Forum Topics

Learn Ealing funded Startup School for Seniors starts on 18th April

Attention all Ealing residents aged 50+! Have you ever dreamed of starting your own business but needed to know where to start? Startup School for Seniors is here to help you turn that dream into a reality!Startup School for Seniors is an online course designed to support those aged 50+ seeking to become self-employed. The programme is delivered as a series of pre-recorded video modules along with 1:2:1 mentoring from experienced entrepreneurs and business advisors, peer-to-peer online group sessions and workshops. All the videos are transcribed and captioned for anyone with accessibility issues. The programme is ideally suited to anyone considering self-employment or at the early stage of their business. The programme takes into account an older learners requirements for flexibility, which is often a result of caregiving responsibilities or their health and mobility issues.The training will help you to:Determine your ideal customer and where to find themUnderstand how to price your product or serviceKnow the legal requirements of running your businessCreate a one-page business planFeel more confident about the steps you need to take to start or grow your businessTake advantage of this chance to make your dream a reality! Register now at startupschoolforseniors.com and take the first step towards a successful future as a business owner. #startup #entrepreneur #eLearning #businesscourse*The cost for those in full or part-time work is £160

Suzanne Noble ● 207d0 Comments ● 207d

Are employment tribunals out of control?

Reading the preposterous story about the 'sexual harassment' case at the special school in Northolt, it struck me that the damage done by employment tribunals increasingly seems to outweigh any benefit they provide. Obviously people should be protected against abuse in the workplace and unfair dismissal but a retrospective claim by someone who deserved to be fired would surely be regarded in most other courts as vexatious and be dismissed. Whatever the rights and wrongs of the recent case in Hammersmith & Fulham in which a council officer on a six figure salary claimed PTSD from being involved in the Grenfell Relief efforts and was paid £4.5 million, more than any other person impacted by the fire, the award doesn't seem proportionate. The case which brought Birmingham City Council into bankruptcy was due to binmen (exclusively male) getting bonuses when cleaners (mainly female) didn't even though the bonuses were being paid due to difficulties in retaining and recruiting people a problem that didn't exist in other department. So these three cases have seen a dedicated public servant doing important work with vulnerable children humiliated, the real victims of Grenfell having yet more reason to feel a sense of injustice and the people of Birmingham having to pay significantly increased council tax along with huge cuts in services, which will inevitably affect the most vulnerable most. All this because a judge was able to reach decisions with no thought for the broader consequences. Surely this has to change?

Gordon Southwell ● 208d0 Comments ● 208d

The case against a Conservation Area for Northfields

Currently the Council is consulting on the introduction of a Conservation Area (CA) in the Northfields area in south/central Ealing where I live. The CA will cover 7,000 properties that are spread over the Walpole and Northfield Wards to the south of Uxbridge Road down to Little Ealing Lane. The proposed CA straddles Northfield Avenue which runs from the north to south in the area.  Following pressure from a very small number of local residents the Council held an informal consultation in 2022 asking local people if they wished to see a CA introduced in our area. No recognised residents’ association was consulted about the proposal. 181 residents responded to the consultation representing just 2% of households in the area. Despite this limited response (and not all respondents were in favour) the Council pressed ahead with the current  statutory consultation exercise asking the 7,000 affected households for their views on Northfields becoming a CA. https://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/201164/local_plan/3125/new_local_planNorthfields - where I have lived for over 40 years - is pleasant enough. But it is nothing special. There are thousands of suburban neighbourhoods up and down the country just like Northfields. Indeed the area should have been classed as a CA 120 years ago when it was a relatively coherent urban form made up of Edwardian terraced and semi-detached housing. But not now. In any case the buildings that have some architectural merit in Northfields are already listed under current planning legislation and, in effect, cannot be altered in any significant way. The two most significant buildings in this respect are the Underground station itself and, almost due opposite, the 1930s Moorish style cinema now used by the Ealing Christian Centre. Many residential and commercial properties in Northfields have had extensions of all kinds and the exterior of many properties has changed beyond recognition – front walls have been rebuilt, porches have been added, windows have been replaced and some front gardens have been dug up and turned into hard standings for car parking (and the charging of electric vehicles these days).  Quite frankly, the area has ‘been and gone’ and cannot be judged as anything exceptional. It certainly ain’t no Brentham Estate or Bedford Park, existing CAs in Ealing.  I also fear that the declaration of a CA would stymie any new building in the area. There are one or two sites in the locality that could provide much needed housing but a developer would find it near impossible to build on those sites if a CA was declared. Furthermore loft extensions would require full planning permission before they could proceed. An expensive and time-consuming process. Most loft extensions are now allowed under permitted development rights. Also the construction of bungalows in garden land that run alongside our side streets would become (in effect) a thing of the past. So the supply of additional housing units/bedrooms/living space could be significantly curtailed by the creation of the CA. What’s more the CA might – depending on the consequent changes to permitted development rights – see household efforts to improve the energy efficiency of their homes thwarted. The installation of solar panels and external wall insulation might fall foul of the new regulations. Bin covers in front gardens would undoubtedly need planning permission as would cycle sheds. Permission would also be needed for some tree pruning. I kid you not. And who would police this new CA? Ealing’s Planning service is already under severe pressure as are many others in London and beyond. Would the Council really be able to recruit the staff needed to deal with all the additional work associated with the creation of the CA? And where would the funding come from? Councillors too would get caught up in endless disputes about the application of the new planning rules. Is that what they really wanted to do when putting themselves up to serve our local community? The London Plan calls for Ealing to facilitate the building of over 21,570 homes in the ten years to 2028/29 , many on small infill sites in neighbourhoods like Northfields. If a CA is declared in Northfields that task would become that much more difficult. In a city like London where density levels are one seventh those in Paris, we should add to our housing stock in a sensitive way in areas like Northfields. We also have most of the infrastructure to support incremental increases in our housing stock (although the electricity grid could be upgraded and we could do with more GP surgeries). But this is not just a parochial issue affecting me and where I live. I am afraid if conservation interests in other urban communities in London and elsewhere call for the creation of CAs the opportunities to increase housing supply will become ever harder. As population increases through rises in net migration and for other reasons too, this can only lead to more homelessness, more overcrowding and higher rents and house prices. CAs are needed in sensitive urban settings that contain buildings of significant architectural value. But please not in Northfields.

Roger Jarman ● 294d27 Comments ● 239d

Musical Museum survival appeal.

I'm a volunteer tour guide at the Musical Museum in Brentford, London. https://www.musicalmuseum.co.uk/It is a very satisfying role because I watch the delight and wonder on the visitors' faces when they see and hear the instruments used for music reproduction through the ages. We have musical boxes, polyphons (the precursors of juke boxes) self-playing organs and pianos including player pianos and reproducing pianos that play the actual performances of famous pianists of the past including Gershwin, Rachmaninoff and many others. There are phonographs, gramophones, juke boxes that play 78s and a mighty Wurlitzer Cinema organ in our concert hall. The collection is of national and international importance because it restores and preserves working examples of extremely rare instruments.Loss of income during the Covid shutdown followed by huge inflation in the museum's costs mean that the museum can no longer pay its way so this year, our 60th, might be the last. We have trimmed our costs to the bone but must find money urgently to keep the doors open as we change the way we operate.If you value a historic musical resource, you may wish to support the museum's survival crowdfunder but if it doesn't seem that important to you, I understand that and I apologise for the intrusion. Here's the crowdfunder link.https://gofund.me/5632515eIf you feel able to, it would be great if you can also pass on the appeal to anyone you think might be interested.

David Lusty ● 270d4 Comments ● 265d

The case for a Conservation Area in Northfields

In his piece dated 9 January, Roger Jarman rejects the idea of making Northfields into a conservation area (CA). Like Roger, I have lived in Northfields for around 40 years, and I disagree with much of what he says (see my comments on his thread). As the author of the original proposal, I would like to put the arguments in favour.The public consultation of 2022 covered all of Ealing’s 29 conservation areas. More than half of the responses related to the proposal for a CA in Northfields and more than four out of five of those were in favour. Why was that? The external consultant hired by Ealing Council to report on the consultation noted that many of the Northfields responses expressed ‘a love of the neighbourhood, its sense of belonging and community, a village-like atmosphere and independent shops and cafes’. CA designation would reinforce Northfields’ identity as a desirable place to live, with the associated benefit for residents of enhanced property prices. So popular are existing Ealing CAs among residents, that many have objected strongly to proposals to de-designate their streets as part of the boundary changes proposed by the CA review. Northfields’ owes its character in part to the unity and coherence of the area’s architecture as well as individually listed buildings. But change is in the air. At the public meeting last November, former councillor Linda Burke warned that Northfields could succumb to development pressure like the Draytons, the area around West Ealing station. Ealing Council’s emerging Local Plan identifies the area covered by the Northfields CA as an Area of Intensification. In addition, it specifies Northfields Allotments as a Strategic Area for Regeneration and an Opportunity Area. Furthermore, developments of up to 6 storeys would be permissible anywhere in the area – that’s three times the height of most of what is there now, enough to destroy its character. As a so-called ‘material consideration’ in planning decisions, making Northfields a conservation area would help to protect what we love about the place. You can find out more about the proposal at: https://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/201042/current_consultations/3225/conservation_area_consultationThe Council is currently consulting with all those affected by the proposal. You can respond by email to localplan@ealing.gov.uk (the Council’s preferred method of response) or by post to Strategic Planning Team, Ealing Council, Perceval House, 14-16 Uxbridge Road, London W5 2HL. The closing date is 31 January 2024. This will help to decide whether Northfields becomes a conservation area or not, so please do have your say.

Kay Garmeson ● 284d0 Comments ● 284d

Reduce and Reuse Hub - 4th November 2023

The Acton Market Reduce and Recycle Hub is returning on Saturday 4th November from 10am to 3pm, on the Mount in Acton. Since October  2022 we have achieved;• 408kg of unwanted clothes and shoes saved from landfill by Traid, which reduced carbon emissions (CO2) by 8.15 tonnes and water savings of 649m3.• 100 kgs of small electrical items collected which will be recycled.• 3kg of pens recycled • Taught Clothes Repair• Repaired kitchen and garden tools• Promoted watch repair services on site• Swapped and rehomed over 297 fiction and non-fiction books• Promoted clothing traders onsite selling, returns , seconds and preloved accessoriesThis month at the hub Acton Residents will be able to; RECYCLE: Bring along your old and unloved: • Clothing, Shoes, Small electrical appliances for donation to TRAID www.traid.org.uk• Laptops for donation to the Fixing Factory www.fixingfactory.org • How you can increase your household recycling with ActforEaling - www.actforealing.org • Pens and writing instruments• Toothbrushes and other dental itemsREPAIR: • Learning to fix your Clothes with Ealing Repair Café www.ealingrepaircafe.org • Get your Bikes checked with Dr Bike (2 pm-5 pm) REUSE: • Shop at our pre-loved traders or with our stall holders many who sell returns and seconds from the high street at a reduced price choose from sportswear, womenswear and menswear. • Book Swap – Bring a book and take a book, with Churchfield Community Association!• Learn to make draft excluders from old jeansYou can find out more at https://marketw3.co.uk/reduce-and-recycle-hub-returns-in-november

Zahra Shah ● 376d0 Comments ● 376d

Street Tree fiasco

Residents in a South Ealing Road have had to endure a series of trees which have an as yet unidentified fungus. A few trees shed leaves in 24 hours some others are now also affected.The spores are on the fallen leaves.After a whole week, No-one at all at Ealing Council has responded to residents emails with an online response " in 20 days"In the meantime residents and passers by have been getting skin irritations, sore eyes and coughs and throat irritations.I understand that the local councillors have been contacted and not one has responded.Residents have sent samples to DEFRA and another Arborist Pathologist.The prudent advice is to Alert the local authority for immediate removal and containment of the infected material.Today I walked down the same area and there are a small team clearing the leaves in the next road.  Where one or two trees are now also affected.They are only doing roads for the half marathon. They have not been made aware of the diseased leaves nor been given any basic protection from the spores or dust from the rapidly decomposed leaves.The rain may at least have reduced the problem but the damage is done.It underlines the absolute double standards and pig ignorance of some at LBE of what constitutes a genuine and immediate health hazards and the obsession with perceived and unverified health hazards.So rather than be prudent, they duck out and ignore residents.Absolutely shameful and hypocritical.

Raymond Havelock ● 406d8 Comments ● 380d

The MOST unfriendly pub in Ealing

Popped the following off to Mr Martin at J D Wetherspoon and awaiting response from Regional Manager. Enough is enough, if you claim to be operating a pub then make it a pub!Tim Martin,J.D. Wetherspoon CompanyDear Mr. Martin,As I aspire to be a gentleman IM giving you a 'heads-up' on the review that I have submitted to TripAdvisor on the Sir Michael Balcon in Ealing. It seems to match the general trend of reviews for this establishment. I note that in the past few days the opening hour in the morning seems to have changed from eight a.m. to 9 a.m. Is this correct?Yours sincerely,Mark J. Raymond,33, Creighton Road,Ealing, London, W5 4SHThe MOST unfriendly pub in EalingOh God! What have you done Tim Martin! What happened To Brexit and nice bar maids you could chat to like in the other pubs in Ealing. This has to be the unfriendliest pubs in Ealing where the staff are incapable of speech or do not want to speak. When pressed they say 'we have been spoken to about speaking to customers' whatever that means. Some professional bar staff not students from the University of West London would be welcome, people who do not feel 'threatened' by someone older than they are talking to them, that is, over 21. This is a pub not a politically correct crèche! Find some staff who are not babies!!!!!Oh, and why are customers not allowed to sit on bar stools alongside the bar - a most traditional British activity. Anyway, Tim, if there is any Brexit left in you, please could you restore the staff to speaking, and if necessary get the Wetherspoons board to send a letter to the management of this pub telling them to allow customers to sit at the bar on bar stools

Julian Raymond ● 392d8 Comments ● 386d

Access & Procedure re. Statutory Planning Documents not observed by Ealing Council

Ealing Council planners are not observing planning law re. availability of and access to information relating to planning applications.Not long ago, Cllr. Peter Mason the Leader of the Council and holder of a Masters Degree in Planning, I believe, pledged that he would demonstrate to the residents of our borough that Labour is on our side and that his administration would engage with us and be open, inclusive and transparent. Cllr. John Cudmore, Labour Leader in May 1994 and resident of Acton, made similar admirable promises which were observed for many years. Before that, the former Mayor of Ealing, Cllr. Norman Pointing, when Chairman of the Town Planning Committee in 1990 pledged that the administration would pay particular attention to consultation with residents, amenity groups and bodies such as the Ealing Civic Society on planning matters and that there would be open access for planning papers (as per the statement and report of the Town Planning Committee on 23rd May 1990).Over the passage of time and with remote computer planning procedures and with Perceval House Planning Reception shut for several years, some of these admirable pledges seem to have been forgotten in a number of issues. I have written to the Council on 7th August 2023 following the Council refusing to make a few planning papers available in accordance with either established practice or by law.In my letter which can be seen via this link below:https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ctytvphsc0iazof9cu8gp/Access-to-Information_Letter-to-Ealing-Council.pdf?rlkey=h6ilw7v2tysvxtlld6lj1celd&dl=0I have referred to Statutory Public Register planning law in particular: Extracts: section 69 TCPA 1990, article 40 SI 2015/595DPA 2018 (Sch.11) also referred toFor the full details of the extracts quoted, I can send these to anyone interested by e-mail.  My e-mail is vmfree@madasafish.comVictor Mishiku  9/8/2023

Victor Mishiku ● 447d10 Comments ● 398d

Community Day - Acton Market  - 7th October

Acton West London are co hosting a community event on 7th October.We are going to be teaming up with local community safety advocate Vanessa Hyman and our neighbours 0n the Mount St. Marys Church.  Vanessa who sadly lost her son on mothers day 2004,  to gun and knife crime, has been passionate about keeping people safe and creating safe communities for almost 20 years.  You can find out more about her organisation ‘ A mothers tear drop’  here https://www.facebook.com/groups/311609278864874We’re All In This Together, is outdoor community event…that celebrates community and raises the profile of safer communities.On the day, there will be speaches about prevention and how to be safe…and we will also be celebrating the 1 year birthday of the Reduce and Recycle hub!You will be entertained by Special Guest Studio, Fatman Sound and Charisma Sound..We will have a Bouncy Castle, Face Painting and Sand Art for the young ones plus Stalls and Food Vendors and the Reduce and Recycle Hub.  The Lottery Fund are bringing their mood gazer and an Astronomer. Elevate Arts will be performing in the afternoon and we hope to have our friends from Acton Fire Station on site in the afternoon for children to explore the fire engine and meet the officers.More people are hoping to join us on the day, we will keep you posted on our social media platforms in regards to what else will be on site on the Mount that day!   So come, bring your children, be entertained and have some  food and fun….Date… 7th October 2023 ..Time… 11am till 6pmAddress …The Mount,Acton High Street W3 9NW (opposite Morrisons)..Lets bring the Community Back Together

Zahra Shah ● 399d0 Comments ● 399d

Perivale Park Golf Course fights on

PERIVALE PARK GOLF COURSE  HOST PRACTICE SESSION  FOR TOP UK AMATURE GOLFERSDespite the on going threat from Ealing Council to close their public golf course completely. Perivale Municipal Golf Course players handed over  their practice facilities to top amateur golfers from across the UK competing in the British Amateur Open held this weekend at Ealing Golf Club. Ealing Golf Club volunteers Tayan Wagjiani and Joe Pearson arrived just after dawn to convert what is basically a field into a highly sophisticated professional practice area.Regular golfers on the course were amazed at the distance and accuracy being achieved by those practising.Joe Jadavjee who has been playing on the Perivale course for 47 years said. This is a great honour for us. It's not often we see players of this calibre on our little municipal course. When I first started I arrived with six clubs. I got chatting with two regular players and have been hooked on this course ever since. I would like to wish them all the best of luck.Jack Eatherley a regular course user, involved in developing and designing sports social impact initiatives for over 20 years commented on the proposed closure of the course by Ealing Council said:I’m very sad to hear about the decision to close the Perivale Golf course. I know golf clubs sometimes have a reputation for snobbishness and elitism but this particular course is the polar opposite of this. It’s a tremendous social asset; encouraging all parts of the community from all backgrounds a safe place to learn to play golf from dawn to dusk. Instead of closing this facility I would encourage England Golf and the Council to really study participation here and replicate it.  It’s a shining example of how to break down barriers and promote the very first steps into a sport for both young and old.

David Chapman ● 402d1 Comments ● 401d

E1 bus route extended to Osterley Tesco

Yesterday I wrote on Pitshanger Area Friends' Facebook Page that some bus routes which terminate outside Ealing Broadway Station were inevitably going to have to be shortened or lengthened, just to reduce the number of buses using the station as a terminus. Currently, buses that terminate outside the station are the 65, 112, 226, 297, E1, E7, E8, E9 and E10 (have I missed any?!). We surely all agree that there is nowhere near enough road space to handle this number.  It was pure coincidence, then, that two E1 drivers told me yesterday that TfL is currently running a risk assessment for the E1 to run from Greenford to Osterley via Ealing Broadway. From Greenford, it will follow its current route to Ealing Broadway Station. It will then turn right onto Uxbridge Road, left into St. Mary's Road and continue along South Ealing Road before turning right onto the Great West Road and terminating at Tesco Osterley. None of this has been publicised as yet; you heard it from me first!      The change is anticipated to take place "in a couple of months, maybe more." It is more than probable that the lengthening of the route, which will bring with it more traffic and the likelihood of more roadworks, will mean that the E1's high frequency will be considerably reduced and therefore become less reliable. On the positive side, it will alleviate the overcrowding outside the station. My guess is that the E9 will be the next route to be amended; if it does it will probably terminate at Greenford Broadway. We shall see. Why do I think this? First, the E9 frequently runs late and often gets turned round at Scotch Common; second, because not only are Pitshanger Lane and Woodfield Road bottlenecks when two buses try to pass each other, but also because I don't think that Eaton Rise, Woodfield Road and Pitshanger Lane require two routes - I base this observation on traffic hold-ups and the small boarding numbers at the 10 or so intermittent stops from Scotch Common to Castlebar Road (I hope that is not a controversial opinion because I do not want to have a debate about it!).

Ben Owen ● 439d17 Comments ● 417d

EASEMENT (long use since 1988) upheld by the UTLC Appeal Judge on 27/7/2023

Dr Gillian Reed longtime resident of 42 Wimborne Gardens won her legal Appeal case on all 3 grounds of appeal yesterday at the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) Hearing in Court No.21 at the Royal Courts of Justice in The Strand. Dr Reed's usage of land immediately adjacent to her house for inspection, maintenance and repairs of her north-facing house wall, plinth, drains and gutters, etc since 1988 created an easement recognised in law as against the neighbouring landowner.Please see part of Andrew Skelly's (Dr Reed's barrister) summary note of the proceedings on 27th July 2023 below. The full Judgment in favour of Dr Reed is to follow in September 2023."1. The hearing was before Judge Elizabeth Cooke, sitting in Court 21 of the Royal Courts of Justice.2. There were three grounds of appeal. By an order dated 21st October 2022 the FtT granted permission to appeal on Ground 3.   The Appellant applied for permission to appeal on Grounds 1 and 2.  By an order dated 7th November 2022 the Deputy Chamber President directed that the appeal and the application for permission to appeal on the additional grounds will be determined by the Tribunal at a single hearing.3. The hearing today was thus the combined hearing of the appeal / permission to appealthe order of the FtT dated 15th July 2022.  As a matter of practicality, therefore, theTribunal heard all arguments on all grounds.4. The Grounds were such that if the Appellant succeeded on Ground 1, that would be conclusive and it would not be necessary to consider Grounds 2 or 3.  Likewise, if unsuccessful on Ground 1, but successful on Ground 2, that would be conclusive and it would not be necessary to consider Ground 3.5. The Grounds were as follows:i) Long UserThe FtT erred in law and/or procedure in concluding that the Appellant relied only on the Prescription Act 1832 to put her case, and that the claim was therefore governed only by section 2 of the 1832 Act.  The FtT should have dealt with the claim also on the basis of the doctrine of lost modern grant.  Had the Judge properly done so, he would have held that the right had been established by 2008.  Noting that happened after that – by way of permission or interruption – would have any relevanceii) PermissionThe FtT erred in law and/or in fact in finding that the Appellant had sought and obtained permissioniii) Effect of PermissionThe FtT erred in law and/or in fact in finding that as a result of permission held to have been given in 2010 for a specific purpose, the Applicant’s user for every purpose thereafter remained permissiveRESULT6. The Judge heard argument from Counsel on behalf of the Appellant, and from Mr Outten in person.  At the conclusion of the hearing she explained that it is usual for the Tribunal to reserve judgment.  However, she decided to take the less usual approach of telling the parties her decision immediately, and following up with the written decision in due course.7. The appeal succeeded on Ground 1, and the Judge said that it also succeeds on Grounds 2 and 3 if it was necessary to go that far....."Ealing Planning Department had granted a planning permission to the adjacent landowner that would have obstructed this easement - now this cannot go ahead unchallenged!

Victor Mishiku ● 459d1 Comments ● 420d

The Information Commissioner Decisions re. Ealing Council

Two recent ICO Decisions re. Ealing Council referred to:A request for information about two areas of land re. Ealing Council's pre-application advice given to developers in 2019 was REFUSED by the Council. The first area of land was to the north of West Ealing Station, which led to the submission of planning application ref: 202231FUL on 11th June 2020. The applicants being Southern Grove and Thames Valley Housing. The second area was to the south east of the station on land at Hastings Road. This development was being proposed by the A2 Dominion (formerly Acton Housing Association Ltd). A planning application (ref 192864FUL) was submitted on 27th June 2019 (but was not formally validated by the public authority - the submission being considered premature in relation to ongoing discussions).The Council initially cited EIR Regulation 12(5)(f) (voluntary supply) as the reason for its refusal to provide the requsted information. Subsequently, the Council also gave additional reasons for its refusal citing: Regulation 12(4)(e) (internal communications) and also Regulation 12(4)(d) (unfinished material).The Complainant reported the matter to The Information Commissioner.The Information Commissioner's conclusion was that:"The public authority has not persuaded the Commissioner that any of its cited exceptions are engaged, thus she directs that the withheld information be communicated to the complainant. However, it is not to disclose the names and contact details of all persons therein, as this information is outside the scope of the complainant’s request."ICO Decision Ref: Reference: IC-51437-C5Z2Dated: 27th October 2020..........................In the case relating to development at 15A Tring Avenue near Ealing Common, the Complainant had requested Ealing Council to provide a number of different documents. On 9th October 2017, the Complainant wrote to the Council and requested information in the following terms:1. All internal procedure documents detailing how the planning department makes decisions under their delegated powers, in particular regarding residential properties.2. All terms of reference of internal planning department decision making bodies and/or forums.3. All authorities of planning department staff under any delegated powers.4. All documents (including but not limited to emails, instant messages, telephone call notes (and recordings thereof) and manuscript notes) relating to: 1. The original grant of planning permission (redacted); and 2. The variation of condition 5 of that permission’.The Council withheld the e-mails requested citing:  Regulation 13 (third party personal data)However, following the complaint to the The Information Commissioner, the ICO Decision stated:"2. …The Council incorrectly applied the exception to the sender/recipient details of emails sent to and received by the applicant in the planning matter related to the complainant’s request. The Commissioner therefore requires the Council to take the following steps to ensure compliance with the legislation.PROVIDE THE COMPLAINANT WITH THE SENDER/RECIPIENT DETAILS OF EMAILS SENT TO AND RECEIVED BY THE APPLICANT.3. The Council must take these steps within 35 calendar days of the date of this decision notice. Failure to comply may result in the Commissioner making written certification of this fact to the High Court pursuant to section 54 of the Act and may be dealt with as a contempt of court. 4. The Commissioner has also found that in handling the complainant’s request, the Council breached regulation 5(1) and 5(2) of the EIR by failing to make environmental information available. The Council also unreasonably and  excessively delayed in providing the information to the complainant. Additionally, the Council breached regulation 11(4) and 11(5) by failing to conduct an internal review within 40 working days."

Victor Mishiku ● 443d3 Comments ● 442d

Historic Route no 607 to end on Friday

With no public consultation whatsoever, the heritage hating Mayor is using TfL again as a political tool to push through the rebranding of the 80 year old 607/207 bus Route.This has been rushed through to coincide with the Uxbridge and South Ruislip By-Election and to beef up promised coverage in the area next week by the BBC - especially BBC London who have been in 'talks' with the Mayors office for some weeks on 'ideas'.  Hardly impartial.All rather bizarre.The 607 was the original route number for the 207 dating back to when it was a trolleybus route.In 1960 it became the 207.Then in a rare successful initiative the 607 was revived as a comfort and speedy limited stop Express route complimentary to the 207.Some bright spark has now selected the route to be renumbered SL 8  Not to be confused with Slough Local routes and bears no instinctive association to the 207 route or finding one's way around by logical association.SL stands for Superloop. It seems to have failed TfL SuperSalaried that the 207/607 is an almost entirely straight route end to end and not even a radial route. It is a trunk arterial route.It's pure vanity marketing. The latest gimmick livery and publicity claimed all sorts of features but even the USB chargers are actually just stickers !  So rushed purely to meet a political event so it's not going to happen anytime soon.The route remains the same, with the same frequency, with a bit of basic poor graphics. In reality the 207 -427 -607 already has had a substantial cut in capacity as the 3rd component of the 207 route, the 427, has already been cut back with journey, waiting times increased some months ago, along with capacity so as to not clash with this purely imposed political vanity exercise.TfL's own road improvements along with those of Local authorities have actually lengthens the travel journey times considerably even on early and sunday trips. Compare the original timetable with the mess of the newer ones and it's dreadful. The 607 is not really the express route it was or should be.  This Branding makes no difference to the actual service.Disregard for the long established and easy to familiarise London Bus Network with stupid renumbering, flaky claims and misleading marketing of a loop system that makes no sense unless you have time on your hands is indicative of the mess that TfL has become and how  politicians meddling is stuffing up so many aspects of London's better bits.SuperLoopy Indeed.

Raymond Havelock ● 474d34 Comments ● 459d

Tring Avenue now under attack from the architects who failed with 6 Marlborough Road

Congratulations to the residents and campaigners who convinced Ealing Council's planning team that the proposed 6 Marlborough Road development was unacceptable.A moral victory indeed and one which will hopefully stand up to the scrutiny of the Planning Inspectorate. But sadly, other parts of this borough face similar challenges from developers who care not one iota for the architectural integrity or the cohesion of our neighbourhoods.Across the North Circular from Marlborough Road lies the Rothschild Orchard Estate, built in the early 20th century and similarly under attack from unwanted development proposals and, by coincidence, the same architects as Marlborough Road, Red and White, led by Luke Pulham.In Tring Avenue a perfectly serviceable family home now faces being bulldozed to make way for a block of nine flats.  The Rothschild Orchard Neighbourhood Forum – an association recognised and approved by Ealing Council – represents residents in the Tring Avenue area and virtually all of our members are opposed to this scheme.Like Marlborough Road there are restrictive covenants in place to guard against over development.  These state that only one private dwelling house can be built on a plot, and no house should be unsuitable to the character of the neighbourhood.  Local residents nearby in Carbery and Kingsbridge Avenues have the benefit of these covenants and have been informed of this fact in case anyone wishes to exercise their rights in case of any breach.

Jo Bond ● 477d14 Comments ● 460d

South Ealing/Little Ealing traffic light chaos

The replacement works at the Junction of South Ealing Road and the A4 have been completed but TfL have inexplicably changed the phasing causing a time delay of 100%.This is causing huge delays to North- South Bus journeys with many buses having to terminate at the A4 along with tailbacks on the Westbound A4 Ealing Road and South Ealing Road.TfL have been doing similar 'alterations' on the A205 SCR east of Clapham and even at night there are delays and queues where previously there were not.It appears that this may be deliberate. It was tried before in the 1980s and the same problems occurred and was abandoned within a fortnight.With much larger vehicles than 40 years ago, less road space means even longer delays.This 'engineered' delaying, though creates other problems, vehicles three point turning, rat running seeking an exit elsewhere, and pollution as well as wasted fuel.It benefits no one and is costly with missed appointments of all sort and commercial delays.Disrupted bus journeys.The junction was even snarled up early on Sunday Morning which on a normal day would be near deserted.As usual no-one representing local people is listening or taking any action.So here courtesy of Brentford residents are some contacts if you are affected even as a non driving or bus using resident.The original sequencing of lights needs reinstating ASAP.We all need to email Guy Lambert ( a Hounslow Councillor who has been involved),  but importantly TFL and LBH and LBE. Although it is just over LBEs boundary, the effects are radiating well into Ealing & NorthfieldsGuy.Lambert@hounslow.gov.uk,Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Operational Servicestraffic@hounslow.gov.ukstrategicmodelling@tfl.gov.uk

Raymond Havelock ● 491d1 Comments ● 491d

6 Marlborough Road

I'm sure many will know that the area around St Marys in South Ealing is a conservation area.... and a lot of the surrounding area is an "area of interest" with some lovely streets and great characterful buildings.It's under threat as is much of our way of life.Pubs are closing and being turned into flats, open space under pressure, roads, parking, drainage, doctor services etc.... developers looking for a quick buck everywhere.Latest to be of urgent concern is Number 6 Marlborough Road.This is a lovely house and one of the oldest in Ealing. Unfortunately it appears not to be listed but really should be and it sits in a great position on a cracking road.It's been bought by a developer who is on the record of having zero concern or anything other than making money and sod the effect on the local area. Plans have been lodged to actually demolish the building and replace it with 8 bland, box sized, drab flats.The area simply does not need these - a load have just been built at the site of the old Grovesnor Club near The New Inn and lots of recent studies point to housing demand in London being on the slide.If you disagree with this ongoing systematic destruction of the local area I would urge you to log onto the Planning Portal and lodge an abjection.I would never trust our Council to see sense on anything but as many objections as possible can't hurt.Link https://pam.ealing.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=RMKY05JMI5F00&activeTab=summary

Colin Goodman ● 654d22 Comments ● 494d