Open letter to Aileen Jones, head of planning at Ealing Council:
I was briefed about the plans for the Oaks Shopping Centre and I would like to raise some of my concerns.
This is a missed opportunity for the centre of Acton.
What they are proposing is little more than a new supermarket with a revamped car park and 149 residential units, some in an 11-storey tower, which raises questions about suitability.
The only regeneration of the shopping centre itself will be the supermarket and the rest will remain largely untouched for some years, except perhaps for a new entrance and some tidying up inside.There may be issues around the leases held by some of the retailers, but surely they can't be allowed to prevent a wider and desirable redevelopment. There is a critical need for major improvements to Acton High Street - this is certainly not going to meet those expectations.
I do like plans to open up St Mary's burial ground but these proposals still remain vague. Will there still be a wall, a fence, or will the boundary between the shopping centre and the burial ground be left entirely open?
I also have concerns about introducing more residential units without preparation of local infrastructure such as school places and GPs. I appreciate that there is to be a new primary school on the Priory Centre site but these places are already easily spoken for. Where are the extra places going to come from?
Parking will also be an issue and the new buildings will not fit well with the local environment, especially the metal 'screen' proposed for the exterior.
Many residents feel disappointed that this is scarcely going to provide the community with a sense of progress and regeneration. I heard that one of the regeneration officers told a packed meeting that the council is minded to approve the planning application. Are minds already made up?
Angie Bray MP
Ealing Central and Acton
