Council publishes plans for new town centre hubs
Ealing Council is promising to make Ealing borough a better place to live, shop and work, thanks to an inspiring new vision that’s just been published.
Three town centre studies, commissioned by Ealing Council last year, set out how Ealing, Acton and Southall town centres could develop to help the area thrive. The plans also include the gateway to Park Royal, which is one of Europe’s largest industrial estates and an employment hub for the borough.
The Council is now scheduling a series of public meetings across the borough to ask local residents what they think of the proposals and find out how they think the Council’s £15million town centre regeneration fund should be spent.
The Ealing town centre report, produced by planning consultants Tibbalds, highlights multi-million pound investment opportunities while ensuring a sympathetic approach to the area’s heritage.
The 100-page strategy will help to shape future development in the area. The Ealing plan covers the area between Ealing Broadway and West Ealing. It is split into four sections; a development site strategy; a community infrastructure plan; a movement strategy; an urban design and public realm strategy.
Among the proposals in the reports is increasing the size of retail units to attract higher quality shops. It also recognises the need for a mix of retail, hotel, office, residential and leisure development within the town centre areas. In addition public areas will be upgraded with better paving and street furniture.
The distinct characters of different areas could be enhanced with special feature elements such as a town square for West Ealing.
In North Acton, the area at the gateway to the Park Royal industrial estate could be transformed with more mixed-use development, along with an urban park.
Transport improvements, designed to increase capacity, are key to the ideas for regenerating each of the areas. Interchanges between bus and rail services at Ealing Broadway are seen as vital elements in the preparation for the introduction of Crossrail in 2016. The Council and its consultants believe the building of Crossrail will create the right conditions for further development and be a significant boost to regeneration in all three town centres. The number of shoppers could be increased in Acton town centre by linking the rail stations to the town, creating the right conditions for regeneration. Road improvements could also be made at the Gypsy Corner junction on the A40.
Social housing in West Ealing and South Acton will get a major upgrade. The Council invited bids from the private sector for the comprehensive redevelopment of the Green Man Estate in March 2008 as the first part of its estates regeneration programme.
Councillor David Millican, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport, said: “Improving the quality of life for residents and reinvigorating the town centres is at the heart of the plans.
“These documents give a clear vision and planning framework for the development of our major town centres. The private sector will be able to see the exciting diverse range of opportunities available to them.
“We have a proud heritage which we want to retain but it is essential that significant redevelopment takes place if these areas are to thrive and compete with other parts of the capital.
“The Council plan is to drive this regeneration forward and we are investing £15million this year in lasting improvements across our town centres.
“As a Council we are determined to drive change and create an environment that enables the borough to prosper and attracts new residents and businesses to settle.”
Among the proposals for the areas are:
Ealing & West Ealing:
Acton:
Southall:
Park Royal:
The Council is currently considering a planning application by Berkley Homes for a mixed retail, residential and office development in central Ealing.
May 28, 2008
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