Developing Ealing

By Shujaul Azam on Dec 1, 08 04:49 PM

Hello. It's good to be back on our new-look website. I hope you like it.

Anyway, how are you all - sorry about the absence.

While I've been away, the biggest issue concerning you are various proposals submitted for the development of Ealing town centre.

I'm sure you're all aware that the Dicken's Yard development was approved on Guy Fawke's night .

Councillors approved the plans for the shops and flats much to your disgust, according to the letters I've received. Now the final approval is in the hands of London mayor Boris Johnson.

Also the second major deveopment, again more shops and flats for the Arcadia Centre, has angered many and the consultation period has now been extended.

And finally, there are plans for a transport interchange for Ealing Broadway near Haven Green, which has again got you writing.

Now, you might be wondering where I stand on all of these proposals.

Well, I believe that Ealing can not be left without some sort of strategic plan for its future development. There has to be investment in the centre. We cannot just bury our heads in the sand and hope the centre will continue to be a thriving hub. That will simply not happen.

Particularly, now Westfield Shopping Centre is on our doorstep - and I hear despite the economic gloom the centre raked in a cool £2m profit in its opening weeks.

Having said that, the scale and type of development in Ealing, has to be considered very carefully, otherwise you'll end up with the ills of poorly designed homes and shops.

What can be worse than a crime-ridden estate and inaccessible shops struggling to stay afloat, however good the original intentions.

So, I believe a balance has to be struck. A careful balance has to be struck.

This does not mean rail-roading plans through but this also does not mean hanging on to a bygone romantic view of Ealing, as the Queen of Suburbia.

Let's grasp a good future for Ealing, without alienating any section of the community.

So come on let's all work together on this - otherwise it could be too late.

Now, tell me what you think.