It is incredibly depressing to hear the news that predicated on the need for more housing all normal building controls from the last 30 off years should be thrown out.The one regret we have to moving to Acton is that we come under Ealing Borough. Having lived in Borough of Hammersmith for 20 years I can only say my experience is that their level of competency and ethics are poor in comparison. For what it’s worth I have set out my views below and will log these on Ealing’s planning site.Reason For ObjectionThe proposed tower blocks of up to 24 storeys are totally out of character and SCALE with the low-level suburban residential housing of this Central Acton area. The proposed development will adversely impact the attractive, liveable nature of this neighbourhood of Victorian, Edwardian and 1930s homes. The area chosen for development has a perfectly decent environment and community which is going to be destroyed by this extreme development proposal. Breaking PrecedentSince when has it been acceptable to put huge tower blocks in the middle of a RESDIENTIAL area of normal low-level houses?It is one thing to develop land which has been used for industrial and business use with Tower blocks but since when has it been allowable to build on existing Low level residential areas.Furthermore, the tower blocks will risk loss of light from the surrounding low-rise homes, and will create an eyesore and encourage more crime.Protecting Common LandI also note that Friars Green is Common Land and should not be included in any Friary Park development.Climate Change and Increased Carbon Footprint.It has been proven that the carbon footprint by building tower blocks compared to normal lower level housing is huge and goes against the climate Change strategy of the government. What’s in this for Ealing Council?I urge Ealing Council and Central Government to restrict the height of any new blocks in the Friary Park development, and in this neighbourhood, to the current 4 storeys or less. If we have to have buildings of these sorts of heights, these should surely be restricted to the Park Royal area, north of the A40, which is already being blighted by high-rise buildings and adverse environmental effects.My belief is that Ealing Council have a cynical interest in pushing through without any disregard to the people and lives who are already living on the site and the surroundings, driven by maximising financial returns. The larger the development the more money and Ealing Council will make in profits and Council Tax respectively. This proposal is not just about housing but about greed. For a supposed Labour Council they should be ashamed of themselves.Clearly it is a very easy option to succumb to the interests of greedy developers who’s soul aim is maximise profit per square metre.Finally, arguments that Central Government are imposing the need for more housing should not be an excuse a free rein to build housing developments out of complete proportion to anything that has preceded it in 50 years.
Robert Harris ● 2401d