Forum Topic

Gunnersbury Park public consultation results meeting

'The next meeting of the Gunnersbury Park Joint Advisory Panel which will take place on Monday 30 November 2009 at which results from the recent public consultation about options for the future of the park will be presented to the panel.'Does anybody know where this meeting is to be held and whether it is open to the public or a 'closed-shop' meeting just for one or two councillors?

John Simms ● 6153d10 Comments

The meetings are open but may have limited space or seating so would suggest contacting Richard Gill, the Regeneration Manager and lead council officer, for inclusion and he sends out a circular advising future meetings and events.      The Joint Advisory Panel starts at 7pm on Monday 30th Nov and there is also a stakeholders meeting on Saturday 5th December at 10am which "will provide an opportunity to informally discuss ideas raised during the consultation".      Both meetings are in the small mansion accessed from the south terrace.      richard.gill@hounslow.gov.uk 02089921612

Robert Darke ● 6153d

Thanks for this information Robert.Perhaps someone can also advise me why the Council is investing of millions on Pitzhanger Manor and Walpole Park instead of Gunnersbury Park. As the stables and museum at Gunnersbury are in a state of dereliction and potential closure surely their need outweighs a desire by the present Council Leader to upgrade a former manor house that is not in danger of any structural decay? The crumbling state of parts of Gunnersbury Park are of greater concern and represent a much greater loss to residents of this Borough than the poorly visited Pitzhanger Manor surely? Once allowed to become ruins they will be lost forever.

John Simms ● 6152d

John,It's a good question.I'm no expert but try this:1. Gunnersbury Park (GP) is half owned by Ealing Council (EC ) and half owned by Hounslow Council (HC). EC and HC have not seen eye to eye on what should be done with GP for decades. Pitshanger Manor (PM) and Walople Park (WP) are owned by EC.2. HC is the planning authority for GP not EC.3. PM/WP is an Ealing town centre issue. GP is an edge of borough issue.4.Maybe EC and HC see more chance of getting cash grants from The Lottery and other bodies for PM than for GP.  5.GP is at least four times the size of Walpole Park and has two major buildings to restore and one major building to rebuild. PM is but one relatively small building to restore. This means much more cash will be needed to 'save' and maintain GP than to 'save' maintain PM/WP.

Eric Alan Leach ● 6151d

Eric,You are pretty much spot on although you overplay the joint working angle which will always be an issue but it is not the main issue.  Pitzhanger/Walpole is relatively doable compared to Gunnersbury and Pitzhanger Manor is very important architecturally in a way the buildings in Gunnersbury are not.  As a result it is correct to prioritise it.  Hanwell CC again is a relatively small project and there is a large user community whose needs we need to ensure that we continue to meet.  The Gunnersbury consultation results are up on the Hounslow website, see here:http://democraticservices.hounslow.gov.uk/Published/C00000505/M00005793/$$ADocPackPublic.pdf

Phil Taylor ● 6151d

Eric,Appreciate your explanation. It still seems to me though that Gunnersbury is the one that needs 'saving and maintaining'. Pitzhanger Manor certainly doesn't need 'saving' - it is not in danger of falling down or being compromised in any way structurally. And Walpole Park looks well invested in already by comparison with Gunnersbury.I hear what you say about the council preferring to invest in what they call the 'town centre' rather than the edge of the borough but I have to say that residents who aren't well-off enough to live in Ealing are a little tired of hearing this all the time.I know it's not down to you but seems to me we all pay our taxes to this council so why are some areas treated more 'fairly' (shall we say) than others?

John Simms ● 6151d

Phil, Thanks for comments, understand where you're coming from but frankly expect more of elected representatives than simply undertaking easy projects whilst neglecting the more urgent and deserving simply because they are the more challenging.Would expect Ealing councillors to be skilled enough to negotiate with their Hounslow counterparts for the sake of a fantastic park that brings much pleasure to Ealing borough residents. Truthfully, if they can't manage that then, in my opinion, they should stand down and let others, more able to do so, take their place.

John Simms ● 6151d

I can't help thinking the ramping up of the pitzhanger park profile is about turning round after all the consultations and saying "right this is going to cost lots of money, let's put some houses on it".

Paul James ● 6150d

As Gunnersbury is, physically, in LB Hounslow, maybe it's time LB Ealing stepped away as they seem to have nothing useful to contribute, least of all funds.

Susan Kelly ● 6150d

Re-reading James Wisdom`s article the strong impression is that Friends of Gunnersbury would settle for building on the strip of the park as the only way to secure enough capital, even with pulling out all available funding rabbits out of the hat.He may be right in the long run but I don`t think he`s given enough weight to the residents consultation in the nearest wards and the increasing interest in the borough - which may be helping to move Gunnerbury up the list rather than down.The council will acquire a lot of expertise from the works on Pitzhanger Manor & Walpole especially with funding streams which involves jumping through myriad hoops, and my hope is that the next council will focus the experienced team of council officers from Walpole onto the enormous* Gunnersbury project. Its also likely keener friends of Walpole would support friends of Gunnersbury.Lastly Ealing has a fine record on the preservation of parks and James failed to mention that Acton & Ealing councils purchased Gunnersbury from Mrs de Rothschild in 1925 which prevented Chiswick & Brentford from building over the entire 186 acres!*Costed at £39 million.%Hounslow & Ealing councils.

Robert Darke ● 6150d

You talk of increasing interest and it's true that when I tell people I live in Gunnersbury Park they say, 'So what do you think ... blah blah,' but that doesn't mean they have any real interest or come to visit the place. The truth is that it's rather a dull park and only people who live very locally come to walk there.

Susan Kelly ● 6149d