Forum Topic

Stitched up? Vandalism? Who cares  in Ealing?

Willmott Dixon the builders at the A2Dominion site at the junction of the Uxbridge Road and Culmington Road applied through due process to close the pavement to the west of the site. However it appears that they have demolished/stolen the pavement and piled up the heritage granite curbs with tree roots to go to landfill. These heritage curbs are easily recycled and I believe are not the property of WD.Try asking these difficult questions of LBE or WD. No one wants to talk to me. Further WD on its website has all these green mission statements quietly craned into a lorry here in Ealing and dumped just like the heritage curbs. Oh by the way they also want to close Culmington Road to some/all traffic for up to 18 months. And Jonathon Porritt is on their board. Who cares?

Arthur Breens ● 4649d14 Comments

Willmott Dixon's PR dept have phoned me up. She'll come back to me and I am sending her the statutory notice from the Gazette.

Arthur Breens ● 4626d

Phil,I tried the Council to talk to the names at the bottom of the Gazette notice. Not available. And the PR department of Willmott Dixon . Not available. Eric Pickles gave us some say in what happens to the places where we work and live under the Localism Act. WD and LBE haven't read this.What we have here is community engagement at its very worse. Posturing just posturing. This is secrecy. Secrecy without terrorism. Just call it abuse.

Arthur Breens ● 4626d

Phil the Traffic Orders published in the Gazette on the 23rd Aug  refer to "partially or fully closed sections". I was not privy to the secret meetings you mentioned in your post. I never received minutes from the one that I did attend. I don't understand where lorries leaving or entering the site might go and where cars might go when Culmington Road is fully or partially closed. What modifications to these routes may be needed to facilitate these movements. All I know is there is a diagram with little detail around called "Option 6". WD have a section called "Community Engagement" on their website but seem to have been engulfed by the secret "never apologise never explain" council officer approach. Roger Jones must sort out this "cat and mouse" behaviour. Oh yes and the parking bays were lost before the orders were published. Is that right?

Arthur Breens ● 4627d

We still need some assurance that the new method of construction is considerably less disruptive than partial road closure. Having obtained this assurance then we must be vigilant in future that we don't lose mature trees in strategic places or have road closure/partial road closures forced upon us by other developers. Joining one of the two newly formed Neighbourhood Forums in Ealing will help strengthen the lobby for best practice in new builds. For more detail see www.wecnf.org and www.improvealing.com

Arthur Breens ● 4640d

Good news Mr Taylor - the road in question is very near us and we use it frequently - thanks for clarifying the matter.

Gerry Tan ● 4640d

Received today from Ealing's Assistant Director Highways Service:Dear All,As you will be aware over the last month a number of meetings have taken place with the developer concerning the above.  We were all keen to  find a workable solution to minimise the construction impact upon local residents and businesses while at the same time maintain site and pedestrian safety.  As part of the on-going discussions reports were also obtained from the emergency services and health & safety before any final decision could be made.  On Friday [officers] met with the developer and after a lengthy discussion and careful consideration of all of the issues, I am pleased to announce that the road will now remain open to two-way traffic during the construction duration. Kind regardsetc.

Phil Taylor ● 4640d

What the hell is this scheme that requires an EIGHTEEN MONTH road CLOSURE????!!ps - furious about the trees as well.  :-(

Tony Colliver ● 4641d

Thank you Tom. Pity about the mature trees lost. Caught us napping. More news to come.

Arthur Breens ● 4644d

Good news on the kerbs Arthur, well done.

Tom Forde ● 4645d

Dear Tom,Very many thanks for this helpful advice. I do believe we have saved the heritage granite kerbs. This has much to do with Walpole Councillor Ann Chapman. (And maybe Cllr Phil Taylor).On Tuesday 6th she forwarded an "innovative" undated letter from Willmott Dixon to Mark Burgess LBE signed for WD by Alex Cornuaud saying that preserving these kerbs had always been the agreement with LBE and that they would be reinstated at the end of the job. When do you think that was written? Silly of me to think that a neatly stacked and sticked pile of kerbs were to go to landfill. However those kerbs are still a jumbled pile next to tree roots and has been saved just in time. Well Done AC. Tonight I have convened a meeting with two transport professionals to discuss this proposed closure of Culmington Road. This is under the auspices of West Ealing Centre Neighbourhood Forum. WECNF is a government designated body under the Localism Act 2011 charged with producing a spacial plan for the centre of West Ealing. Unfortunately due to very short notice Cllr Bassam Mahfouz transport portfolio holder is unable to attend. What an excellent organ this is for getting things done!

Arthur Breens ● 4645d

POINT 1:"It appears that they have demolished/stolen the pavement and piled up the heritage granite curbs with tree roots to go to landfill. These heritage curbs are easily recycled and I believe are not the property of WD."Report this to Ealing Council and to local councillors:http://www.ealing.gov.uk/site/scripts/xforms_form.php?formID=86&language=enhttp://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/200033/councillorsCopy in councillors Julian Bell and Bassam Mahfouz on all emails:Julian.bell@ealing.gov.uk Bassam.mahfouz@ealing.gov.uk Copy in a2 Dominion as well:complaints@a2dominion.co.ukTell a2 Dominion's press office you are going to report it to the local paper if nothing is done about it:communications.corporate@a2dominion.co.ukInform Willmott Dixon using their online contact form:http://www.willmottdixongroup.co.uk/contact/enquiriesAlso, email Willmott Dixon's press office asking them to act, and warning them that you are going to report it to the local paper if nothing is done about it:andrew.geldard@willmottdixon.co.ukPOINT 2:"I have noticed that the site has not been boarded for weeks - vital for keeping inquisitive young people off the site."Report this to Willmott Dixon and a2 Dominion using ALL the above channels, and warn them that you will be reporting it to the safety regulator, HSE, if nothing is done:concerns@hse.gsi.gov.ukFinally, tell all parties that you will be contacting the Ealing Gazette to run a story on these failings if nothing is don.Reporters' details here:http://www.ealinggazette.co.uk/site-map/contact-us-ealing-gazette/

Tom Forde ● 4645d

The closure of Culmington Road from Uxbridge Road to Mattock Lane for 18 months will threaten the livelihoods of local traders and cause transport chaos. Surely some mitigation is needed by changing the movement arrangements in surrounding roads like Mattock Lane and Dane Road.And why oh why was there no engagement with local stakeholders during the formative stages of road closure plan making?

Eric Alan Leach ● 4647d

The intended road closure and job losses are the thing that really gets me. However we have a letter from LBE saying that it was council policy to preserve heritage granite curbs. (And no doubt cheaper) Stuffing that down someone's throat ain't easy. No easier than stuffing green mission statements down the throat of WD. They are on hols so try site manager Dave Fallows 07973 127104. I'm less popular than you Phil and no one talks to me. Not WD or A2D or BM or JB or LBE...or..or...just sent to Coventry oh and stitched up.

Arthur Breens ● 4649d

Arthur,I walk past this site regularly and it does seem to be badly managed.  I hadn't noticed that they had trashed the kerbstones.  I have noticed demolisher's vehicles mounting the pavement opposite.  I have noticed that the site has not been boarded for weeks - vital for keeping inquisitive young people off the site.  I have noticed that the road is constantly covered in mud from contractors vehicles.  I note that Labour portfolio holder Bassam Mahfouz is an A2Dominion employee.  I will raise it with him.

Phil Taylor ● 4649d