No Reprieve for Perivale Park Golf Course
Council officer rubber-stamps conversion into parkland
A view of the Wembley arch from Perivale Park Golf Course. Picture: YouTube
March 20, 2024
Ealing Council has made a final decision to close Perivale Golf Course. The land will be converted into a park as part of the council’s commitment to create 10 new parks in the borough.
The borough’s strategic director for economy and sustainability confirmed the move this Monday, 18 March which will see the permanent closure of the golf course and the commencement of work to open it as a new publicly accessible park that could ultimately form part of plans for a new regional park in the borough.
The plan has been controversial with residents including local golfers signing petitions and protesting the closure, however, the council’s report on the public consultation showed that the majority of people responding were in favour of the golf course’s closure. Almost two thirds of residents (more than 62 per cent) said they supported closing Perivale Park Golf Club to make it into a park. There was also resounding support for the idea of a regional park, with 76 per cent of survey responders supporting it.
The biggest reason given for opposing the closure was the area lacked similar golfing facilities but the survey also found that nearly 5 in 6 respondents (84%) stated that they either did not play golf at all or never played golf at Perivale Park Golf Course, with 16 per cent of respondents playing there at least a few times a year.
The site will be incorporated into the council’s grand vision of a regional park system that will see green open spaces in Ealing connected to one massive borough-wide park. The council says it’s following the model of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in east London, looking to recreate a similar project in the west.
The new regional park is intended to give more residents access to a well-designed green space and will support the council’s mission to plant 50,000 more trees and re-wild 800,000 square metres of the borough, increasing biodiversity, reducing air pollution and re-connecting people with nature.
The council says that its ambitious project will bring opportunities for better sports and cultural venues, encourage walking, cycling and other physical activities which will help to reduce health inequalities and increase mental wellbeing. The park plan has proven to be popular with residents.
In a separate consultation, 76 per cent of survey responders said they supported the scheme. The council is planning on closing Perivale Golf Course in June 2024 with the new park opening to the public at the same time.
Councillor Peter Mason, leader of Ealing Council said, “The transformation of Perivale Golf Course into a new park that could eventually become part of a regional park will realise a historic ambition for Ealing Council.
“The Elizabeth II Park has transformed east London and a park of this size has the potential to have similar positive effect on the borough and west London too.”
Councillor Deirdre Costigan, deputy leader and cabinet member for climate action, said, “Almost two thirds of residents have backed our plan to open this new park in Perivale, which will be the second of the 10 new parks we promised to deliver, and we hope will eventually form part of the regional park. We’ve already got plans to plant wildflower meadows and install benches, paths and new signage in the park but we’re looking forward to designing the final layout in partnership with local people – including agreeing a new name!
“As part of our plan to eventually integrate this new park into the regional park, we could see areas of forest, wetlands and new habitats for wildlife created in the future. We also want to explore the potential to continue to provide a cafe as we know that’s something residents would like to see in a regional park.”
For golfers who are losing out on access to their favourite course, the council have provided a map of other clubs in and around the Ealing area which can be found here.
Cllr Gary Malcolm, leader of the Lib Dem opposition, says that the party intends to challenge the closure. He argues that similar to Warren Farm, Perivale Park could accommodate the regional park plan while retaining its sports facilities.
“My view is that you should get the golf club and the council round the table and figure out how you can have a regional park with a golf club.
“The golf club seem very happy to alter the structure of the course to accommodate a regional park with all the activities whatever that might be and wildlife and stuff like that and it seems that the council are being pigheaded, basically.”
He added that the Perivale Park Golf Course is much more affordable than other courses in the area giving elderly people access to sport and exercise that they might not be able to afford elsewhere. If the Lib Dems do ‘call in’ the decision then there could be a meeting about the closure as soon as 14 April although neither the challenge nor the date are yet to be confirmed.
Rory Bennett - Local Democracy Reporter
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