Forum Topic

Dickens Yard revisited

You may have heard that the proposed closure of the ancient rights of way across Dickens Yard was challenged this week.  Outcome pending.But also St George have submitted slightly revised plans for their Dickens Yard planning application.  The revisions can be inspected at Perceval House and you can submit your comments, by 13 Oct.  I am concerned that there is a danger of these and the Arcadia plans going ahead - giving us high-rise, over-crowded housing with a few shops. No town plan has yet be put forward to put some sense into the redevelopment of Ealing Broadway.  We need community facilities (eg a new police station, a health centre,youth centre, etc)  People also want to have an Arts and Leisure centre - a place where young and old can find interesting things to do (eg studios for music and dance, classes of all types, performance space for our groups to show their talents, a concert hall for local and national artistes, indoor sports and other creative facilities).  Central and West Ealing already has thousands of new residents -what about some new facilities?

Ann Pav ● 6570d11 Comments

Thanks for the reminder. The granting of any planning application should come with a stipulation for a section 106 payment that provides money to boost local facilities to compensate for the increased pressure on local resources. It would be worth finding out exactly how much this is.

Andy Jones ● 6567d

In the current market I can't see any developers coughing up section 106 payments.As an Ealing resident I also think that we're in danger of making it so difficult for developers that we won't ever get any meaningful development in the town centre. You only have to look at the number of vacant units now to get a feel for how much further it call fall into decline - and how quickly.

Ed Yelland ● 6567d

If shops are shutting in Ealing Broadway then where are the customers going? And why didn't they go in profitable numbers to the shops that closed?

Alan Brainsby ● 6567d

Evan the charity shops are closing down. Three in Bond Street have gone ! Couldn't compete with Primark I suppose.

Penny Crocker ● 6566d

Maybe GlenDicken are after that site as well.

Alan Brainsby ● 6566d

Ed, Developers do not have a choice about S106 money - it is obligatory.I like your phrase "meaningful development".  This is exactly what we would like to happen in Ealing Broadway. Not plans which will overcrowd the area with thousands of flats and promise new shops. (Yes, really,new shops when all around us are closing down.)What Ealing Broadway would possibly benefit from would be: some flats and maybe refurbished shops in the Arcadia site; an injection of management drive into Ealing Bdwy Centre combined with a reduction in rents and rates;and most importantly an Arts and Leisure Centre to increase provision of cultural activities (music, dance, crafts, etc) including a first class performance space/concert hall, classes and courses, indoor sports, meeting rooms, etc, etc.  That would give Ealing a name and an identity - especially if the Centre links up with Ealing Studios, TVU, Questors,cinema, for promotional purposes.  It would also give us all a lot more to do and more reasons to spend money in Ealing Broadway.

Ann Pav ● 6566d

"What Ealing Broadway would possibly benefit from would be: some flats and maybe refurbished shops in the Arcadia site;an injection of management drive into Ealing Bdwy Centre combined with a reduction in rents and rates;and most importantly an Arts and Leisure Centre to increase provision of cultural activities (music, dance, crafts, etc) including a first class performance space/concert hall, classes and courses, indoor sports, meeting rooms, etc, etc.  "Ann, there's probably not much on that list we wouldn't all like to see but how do you propose to pay for it. Rates can't come down because they are set nationally and the economy has tanked. Rents also can't come down much because the capital costs of buildings need to be recovered - and capital costs are higher because taxes have risen to the point where developers need to make increased returns to cover significantly higher original build costs.Developers have 2 choices to secure a good commercial return:1. Build Wide2. Build HighWith Dickens Yard, the space is limited, and residents have already expressed dissatisfaction with proposals to build high.Commercial developments are very expensive (and risky,) due to the land costs. We won't get any of the things we both agree would be "nice" without a steady flow of rental income to offset the "social" side of the developments.Put simply what this is most likely to result in is no development, even more shops closing down, and Ealing Broadway simply becoming a no go / no point in going area.

Ed Yelland ● 6566d

Forgive my ignorance here but surely some rent is better than no rent. By lowering rents, perhaps for a fixed term, they might spark some interest?

Penny Crocker ● 6565d

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7656423.stmInteresting article on BBC News page today. Reflects a much wider trend and falls in line with Ealing's problems. People/shopkeepers who are arrogant enough to try to overcahrge for mediocre rubbish have had their day I think.

Penny Crocker ● 6565d

Please excuse my ignorance, but where exactly in EB is Dickens Yard?

Mark Law ● 6564d

Hi Mark.  Dickens Yard is the car park behind Ealing Town Hall and the row of shops up to the Church.  The plan is to build large blocks of flats and some shops there.  The idea is for the Council to make about £30m out of this deal. But some of us are worried about the immense scale of the building and no social provision for the many new residents steadily coming into Central Ealing - let alone for the rest of us.

Ann Pav ● 6563d