Today (20th May 2021) Ealing Council’s new leader Councillor Peter Mason has announced a major reset in the council’s relationships with developers looking to build in the borough.
The new approach will ensure that communities are put in the driving seat of change and will ask much more of developers in Ealing. Focusing instead on bringing back good jobs and employment for local people, re-greening neighbourhoods, and maintaining genuinely affordable homes as the priority for any developer hoping to build here.
Extra measures will be put in place by the new administration to make the council more open, transparent and inclusive, including:
- an immediate review of council policy on tall buildings, setting out where tall buildings are inappropriate in the Borough;
- implementing town development plans, created with communities, setting out the vision and infrastructure needs of the Borough’s seven towns;
- scrapping the Ealing in London inward investment brand; encouraging green development and sustainable jobs and investment instead;
- a publicly accessible register of any meetings between developers and councillors;
- a ban on Ealing councillor attendance at the MIPIM conference in France.
Councillor Mason has also written to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan asking him to work together to produce a new vision for the development of Southall, and to revoke the outdated Opportunity Area Framework. Instead, the council will seek to put local people in the driving seat and enabling them to shape the future of their community.
Cllr Peter Mason, Leader of Ealing Council, said:
“Covid-19 has changed the way we live and work forever. We’ve spent more time in our local areas than ever before; more of us are working from home and lots of us either want to keep it that way or to work more locally and flexibly. People are feeling more invested in the future of their neighbourhoods than ever before.
“Many people don’t feel in control of the areas they live in, and I want to change that. From now on, communities will be in the driving seat when it comes to regeneration in Ealing. Local communities need to lead the process of changing our Borough, not developers.
“I want to ensure that local people know their council is on their side and to build an open, transparent and inclusive culture. That’s why I’m announcing steps to make interactions with developers more transparent.”
Cllr Shital Manro, Cabinet Member for Good Growth, said:
“We have a long and proud history of industry and creativity in Ealing, and our borough should be a place where people can live and work in good, well-paying jobs. Space for jobs and employment will be at the heart of our new approach to regeneration.
“We look forward to starting a conversation with local people about what they want to see happen in their communities, and how we can shape the future of Ealing together.”
