EALING IN LONDON / Issue 11 / 2020 by EALING IN LONDON

The regeneration magazine for the London borough of Ealing / Issue 11 / 2020

A FILMWORKS PRODUCTION

THE APARTMENTS HIGHLY ST YLISH

IN THE HEART OF EALING

OUTSTANDING CONNECTIONS

Introducing the latest production from Filmworks, starring a stunning collection of art-deco inspired 1, 2 & 3 bedroom apartments and penthouses in the heart of Ealing. Many homes offer south facing views towards Ealing Green, Walpole Park and the newly renovated Grade I listed Pitzhanger Manor. PRICES FROM Â£599,950*SHOW APARTMENT OPEN VIEW ENQUIRIES 020

TODAY

3504 2508 OR SALES@FILMWORKS-EALING.CO.UK

*Prices and details correct at time of going to press. Computer Generated Image is indicative only.

www.filmworks-ealing.co.uk Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies

WALKING DISTANCE FROM SOUTHALL STATION

NE W C AFES, BARS & RESTAURANTS

1 KM OF C ANALSIDE LIVING & 2 NE W PARKS

COMING SOON... WEST LONDON’S NE W VIBRANT VILL AGE As one of London’s most significant new regeneration projects, Southall Waterside will be a place like no other – a place to live, work and socialise. A place full of gardens, parks, trees and water. Shopping and restaurants, art and entertainment, cafes and culture. All just a 17* minute train journey from the heart of one of the world’s greatest cities.

Heathrow 8 mins

Southall

Ealing Broadway 6 mins

Bond St 17 mins

Liverpool St 24 mins

Canary Wharf 31 mins

Proud to be a member Proud toofbethe a member of the Berkeley GroupBerkeley of companies Group of companies

Computer Enhanced Image and indicative only. *Journey times sourced from crossrail.co.uk

Woolwich 39 mins

Credits Editor and chief writer:

Robin Das dasr@ealing.gov.uk Editorial team: Iesha Anastasiou Quinton Drawbridge Susan Hill

Produced by: London Borough of Ealing

Images: Paul James Panayiotis Sinnos Jestico + White Jade Nina Sarkhel Questors Theatre One Housing Group Hill The Berkeley Group Events Umbrella Leon Barker Roger Green Ibis Hotels The University of West London Hanson Leatherby Theo Wood Robin Das Catalyst HA Lola’s Bakery Otto Cars

Printed by: Printhouse Corporation Ltd, London, N7 8EL, UK. Printed on 100% recycled paper

Published by: London Borough of Ealing (LBE), Perceval House, 14/16 Uxbridge Road, Ealing, W5 2HL, 020 8825 5000 www.ealinginlondon.com @EalingInLondon2020 © LBE. 2020. All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of LBE is strictly forbidden. The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine at time of going to press, but we accept no responsibility for omissions or errors. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of LBE.

Welcome to Ealing in London Welcome to the 2020 edition of Ealing In London. As we embark on a new decade, this year’s edition looks ahead to how Ealing is positioning itself as a strategic location for attracting international business.

ight on our doorstop are some of the UK’s most well-known brands, to name drop a few, Brompton Bikes, Ealing Studios, Ferrero and Bombay Halwa, creating employment and investment across the borough – as well as putting the spotlight on Ealing as a place to do business. Our businesses help people pedal around their towns and cities, produce a third of all food consumed in London every day and have created some of the UK’s most iconic films and TV shows. Downton Abbey and The Hobbit anyone? Both partproduced here in Ealing along with countless other well-known titles. Our businesses and companies generate £10.5billion for our UK economy every year, more than the GDP of many UK cities, employ over 176,000 people and export goods, knowledge and skills to every corner of the globe. At the heart of the borough we have a first-class higher educational institute, the University of West London, training and educating today’s students at a new campus enlarged and equipped for the challenges of 21st century teaching and learning.

These young people will be the scientists, surveyors, surgeons and screen writers of tomorrow – and we will be proud to say they were ‘Made In Ealing’. We also shine the spotlight on North Acton as a place ripe with potential after we recently sat down with the area’s stakeholders. We looked at how we can work together to make this lesser known corner a place to visit rather than just drive through. The successful opening of North Acton town square last December is just the start of the area’s renaissance. With a new housing director on board we hear about how Broadway Living, the council’s housing delivery company, can continue to propel us towards our 2500 genuinely affordable homes target by 2022. Finally, as the council declares a climate emergency, I am delighted that Ealing has been ranked No 1 as the most eco-friendly borough in London. If you want to do business with us, contact the Ealing In London team today. We are waiting for your call.

Cllr Julian Bell Leader of Ealing Council

Contents

Ealing Means Business

News

Ealing Mapped

Development Spotlights

Ealing In London Opportunities

All Change!

To the Manor Born

The Creative Kitchen with a Kind Heart

Broadway Living

Lights, Camera, Action…Ealing!

North Act-On Community

Building a Future

Ealing In London Sponsors’ Page

Ealing’s office corridor is fast becoming a magnet for international businesses

Ealing Means Business With its location in the heart of west London, easy proximity to Heathrow and an evergrowing number of international businesses on its doorstep, Ealing is a popular choice for global companies and brands. BY ROBIN DAS

n 2016 Brompton Bikes brought the powder coating arm of their business into their factory in Greenford, making the production of their iconic fully foldable bike, 100% ‘Made in Ealing’. They joined a growing number of international businesses that have recognised the benefits of being based in the very heart of west London, where there is room to breathe as opposed to the hothouse of zone one. Ealing’s location is key to attracting a range of businesses that rely on the London connection, but are drawn by Ealing’s more affordable office and industrial space rents. Start ups are enticed by new, flexible co-working hubs such as Spaces and British Land’s Storey. The Park Royal industrial estate is the largest in Europe with 2,000 businesses and 40,000 employees and produces a third of all food consumed in London. More than 500 of these are in Ealing borough and include Lola’s Bakery, John Lewis’ distribution centre, EasyBus and Waitrose.

Other companies operating in the borough include Noon Foods, Ealing Distillery, Bombay Halwa, Segro, Carphone Warehouse, Ferrero and the world-famous Ealing Studios. The studios itself is an eco-system of independent businesses, many of which play their part to curate an A list of productions including Downtown Abbey, The Durrells, and The Theory of Everything.

“Ealing is the centre of gravity for Countryside’s S.W. London … operations with excellent access to all of our major developments.” Mike Woolliscroft, Countryside

Lola’s Bakery, one of 2,000 business based in Park Royal, Europe’s biggest business park.

Competitively priced office space Commercial office space is competitively priced and - with central London at virtually full capacity – Ealing offers businesses that viable and attractive alternative for relocation. Countryside is one of the UK’s leading housebuilding companies with over 60 years’ experience for high quality design and build and with Ealing Council and L&Q are spearheading the regeneration of Acton Gardens. The company opened their new office in the Aurora building in Ealing’s office corridor for 120 staff in October 2019. Mike Woolliscroft, Managing director, said: “Ealing is the centre of gravity for Countryside’s Partnerships South West London operations with excellent access to all of our major developments in Acton, Hounslow, Kingston upon Thames, Maidenhead and Three Rivers. We wanted a space that provided our team with a combination of state of the art facilities, good public transport and excellent amenities. Moving to Ealing Broadway has been a great decision. Our office looks out onto Walpole Park which provides superb space for staff to enjoy. Many of the team also make use of the local gyms and sports clubs. “Other businesses/international companies should take a ‘punt’ on Ealing, because it’s already a great place and with the developments that are underway and the arrival of the Elizabeth Line in 2021 it is only going to get better.” Laura Citron is the CEO of London and Partners (L&P), London’s international, trade, investment and promotional agency. L&P tells London’s story to an

international audience to encourage investment into the capital and helps scale up companies to trade internationally and forge new partnerships overseas via global trade missions. Laura says: “Overall inward investment is looking strong in London. London’s fundamental strengths are its availability of talent, capital and customers and its strong eco-system. “Thinking of west London in this context, the greatest selling point of Ealing is that it is in London. “I think Ealing scores brilliantly on talent and connectivity because it has fantastic connections, which will be even better with Crossrail and talent as it has world-class universities on its doorstep. Plus Ealing has a diverse local population which appeals particularly to tech industries because they want to have a talent pool that understands world cultures, speaks different languages and feels like a genuinely global environment.”

Competitively priced office space at British Land’s Storey

“Ealing scores brilliantly on talent and connectivity.” Laura Citron, CEO, London and Partners

A talent pool of people David Francis, Director of the West London Alliance, agrees. “What is also an attraction for potential employers is the skilled and well-qualified local labour market, as well as a highly-educated local student population.” In Ealing, 55% of residents hold degree level qualifications compared to the London average of 50% and 62% of students achieve five A*-C GCSE grades. The borough is also very entrepreneurial –a fifth of its residents are self-employed, one the highest levels in London. In total, 80% of the borough’s population is in work. In the heart of the borough is the University of West London, home to 13,000 students, of whom around 580 are from more than 100 different countries. UWL is extending its global reach and more than 2,000 students are studying its degrees at other UK and overseas institutions. The university is one of the leading modern universities and has benefited from a £150million transformation of study and leisure spaces in recent years. Professor Peter John, Vice-Chancellor, points out:“We bring learning to life because we have invested in worldclass teaching facilities. These include

a trading-floor for finance students, a Boeing 737 simulator for those studying aviation and airline management and state-of-the-art nursing and midwifery simulated wards complete with interactive mannequins pre-programmed with 2,000 actual conditions.” Overall, the ‘Career University’ has a 98% success rate for students finding employment or further study within six months after graduation. It continues to respond to the dynamically changing world of work by nurturing many of its students and residents’ entrepreneurial spirit into being tomorrow’s big business ideas through the Westmont Enterprise Hub and the West London Food Innovation Hub. The West London Food Innovation Hub assists food and drink start-ups as well as SMEs to turn innovative concepts into marketable products. In 2018, the Westmont Enterprise Hub opened its doors within the university for students and the wider community to develop their start-ups free of charge and it now has 20 businesses and 450+ members. These include Palliate Ai, the world’s first voice-assistance-AI in dementia care and W5 Productions, an arts and media production company. “The Hub is an ideas factory – the natural outlet for entrepreneurs with innovative ideas to spin-out from the University,” adds John. Laura believes that recognition and brand are critical to bringing business to an area. “Investors may have discovered London as a tourist or student and have studied here, so they tend to gravitate to those areas that they know. The challenge is to build that sense of confidence to reduce the risk, and this is where price comes into play and being price competitive.”

“The Hub is an ideas factory – the natural outlet for … innovative ideas to spin-out from the University.” Professor Peter John, UWL

Palliate Ai are based at Westmont Enterprise Hub

Location, location, location Ealing – unlike any other London borough – has the A-Z factor when it comes to connectivity (see panel opposite). David says: “Ealing stands out as one of the most attractive areas to do business in one of the most successful regions in the UK - west London. Growth and investment don’t respect borough boundaries and for a place like Ealing being at the heart of west London is fundamental to its continued growth.”

“Ealing benefits and grows not just from its borough businesses but those that surround it. Collectively the west London economy is worth £80billlion and has nearly one million jobs. Ealing benefits from the tidal inflows that businesses create and the fact that companies such as Sky, Disney, Cisco, Coca-Cola and British Airways are on its doorstep,” adds David. Heathrow, currently a ten-minute main line journey from Southall, will soon be accessible with up to six Elizabeth line trains an hour. It is serviced by 84 airlines, flying to 203 destinations in 85 countries. In 2018, £109billion worth of UK goods was exported from the airport. More than 8% of the total airport’s staff live in Ealing. “Ealing’s location between the City of London and Heathrow is one of its greatest assets,” concludes David. And the traditional ‘City of London’ is expanding as businesses look at where else they can relocate to. Laura concludes: “We see the city moving east and west…to the east where there is space and west with Crossrail, which changes the economic geography of the city. So, Ealing is fantastically positioned to take advantage of that east/west trend. Also, the success of White City will have a great knock on effect on Ealing as business will see this as part of the central business district and that brings Ealing closer in.” The message is clear, with competitively priced office space, an unenviable talent pool of employees and fantastic connectivity – Ealing is in pole position to be west London’s powerhouse of the new decade.

“Ealing stands out as one of the most attractive areas to do business in one of the most successful regions in the UK - west London.” Ealing has a well-educated talent pool of ready to go employees.

David Francis, West London Alliance

Ealing’s a Place to do Business because… £10.5 billion Ealing’s GDP Heathrow - The World’s busiest airport 35 major companies (with 250+ employees) No 1 London’s most eco-friendly borough* * CBRE survey 2019

3 tube lines - Central, District and Piccadilly 5 Crossrail Elizabeth Line stations 17,850 SMEs 150,000 residents qualified at NVQ 4 and above 170,000+ local jobs A bike friendly borough - 2,000 cyclists trained annually 5 major road links connect - M3, M4, M5, M40 and A40

Some of Ealing’s brightest and boldest international businesses tell Ealing In London their story and what it’s like to do business here Brompton Bikes An iconic brand – made in Ealing There can be few brands more instantly recognisable than the iconic Brompton Bikes- the perfect go-to cycle for our minimalist Marie Kondo age. Born in west London in the mid-70s, Brompton relocated its UK base to Ealing borough five years ago and now manufactures more than 50,000 bikes a year on its premises in Greenford. Set up by Andrew Ritchie in the 70s, today the company employs over 200 people in Ealing, 300 worldwide and has become the UK’s biggest manufacturer of bikes. Around 70% of its bikes are exported to 44 countries worldwide including China, Japan, the States and even to the Netherlands, arguably the cycling nation of the world. In the domestic market Bromptons are most ubiquitous in the capital. Julian Scriven is the MD of Brompton Bike Hire, a daughter company of Brompton Bikes. He comments: “We were born in west London and we manufacture around 80% of the bike’s components here. We are a London bike – but we can be found virtually worldwide. “The bikes are really popular where space is limited such as in Toyko and Singapore. There our customers love the purity of the design, the function over form – it is why (Bromptons) sell so well in the far east market.” “We originally forecasted a 10% growth this year (2019), but we are smashing this target and we will be creating new jobs as a result.”

“Any company that wants to do business internationally should think about Ealing.” Julian Scriven, Brompton Bikes The open-plan factory floor is a hive of activity as the brazers weld and fix the frame and its components together to create the iconic bike. This will then go on to be powder coated into any one of many colours. The Brompton Electric has recently been launched, which the company is proud of, and Julian points out: “We don’t have customers we have Brompton advocates.”

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“Brompton is a micro-mobility brand and we aim to be sustainable in every sense of the word. Our aim has always been to get more people into cycling as demonstrated by our Campaign for Movement. The bike is the most multi-modal form of transport - 91% of Brompton journeys involves another form of transport, a Brompton for the first and last part of journey, and a taxi, train, tube etc,” explains Julian. “We have a mission to change the way that people move around cities and if we can, to change a small percentage of people’s lives and give them the joy of not sitting in a traffic jam.” More Ealing residents could soon become converts to Bromptons as a new bike hire hub has been installed at Copley estate (see page 17), helping those on lower incomes access sustainable transport. Brompton is looking to increase hubs by 25 to 30%. As a place Julian says: “There’s a great international culture to Ealing; it is a nice place to live and work and it’s a lovely green place. As a strategic location (for Bromptons) we will always be west London and my message would be that any company that wants to do business internationally should think about Ealing.” He adds:” I believe that Ealing can be the borough that leads the way on sustainable transport and I want to talk more to the council and developers about how we can do this.” Brazers at work in the Brompton factory in Greenford.

Vantage Power The adVantage of battery-packed power Vantage Power is an innovative electrification and connectivity technology company, founded in 2011 by engineer graduates Alexander Schey and Toby Schulz. Since then, the two entrepreneurs have developed their Greenford based company into a skilled team of 25. In 2019, American company Allison Transmission acquired Vantage Power. The company produces lithium ion battery packs which can be retro-fitted into existing vehicles ‘recycling’ them into more sustainable hybrid ones. “Using battery packs in buses, 1000 times the size of the ones in your mobile phones, ensures the vehicles don’t emit exhaust fumes and emissions reducing the amount of carbon monoxide going into the atmosphere,” said Schey. “And when compared to diesel engines they are much quieter for our streets, helping to create a more pleasant city environment.”

“The biggest draw for us is Heathrow Airport being only 20 minutes away.” Alexander Schey, Vantage Power Schey says Greenford’s location has been a key part of the company’s growing success. “With the Central line, I can do a meeting in central London and be in the office (in Greenford) by lunchtime. Anywhere else in the country that would take up the entire day. “But the biggest draw for us is Heathrow Airport being only 20 minutes away. We undertake a lot of international travel in countries such as Hungary, the States, China and India. Where we are now, I can leave an hour or so before my flight.” Schey adds: “For businesses starting up, you have the transport links and good range of residential properties for staff (in Ealing) and that can’t be underestimated”.

The cleaner, greener more sustainable Vantage Power battery packs.

Bombay Halwa

City and Docklands

Indian delights - made in Southall, enjoyed worldwide

An international residential investment and development company

“We are the oldest Indian confectionary brand in the UK.” Zeenat Noon Harnal, Bombay Halwa

“A family business founded on family values.” That is how Zeenat Noon Harnal, Managing Director of Bombay Halwa Limited, in Southall, sums up the company that her father Lord Gulam Noon founded in 1973. Today Bombay Halwa manufactures a tempting range of Indian sweets and savouries including yogurts, desserts, samosas and ice creams under the brand name ‘Royal’. “A generation of Asian parents and children have grown up enjoying our products,” smiles Zeenat. “We are the oldest Indian confectionary brand in the UK.” Today, Bombay Halwa’s range is sold in stores nationwide including Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsburys and Cosco as well as in their own ‘Royal’ branded stores and as part of airline in-flight meals. So, if you’ve ever flown long-haul from Heathrow, there’s a good chance you will have feasted on some of the Noon family’s tasty treats. Lord Noon also set up ‘Noon Products’ in 1989, now owned by Kerry Foods, which is one of the biggest producers of Indian chilled ready-meals sold by supermarkets Most of the company’s 140 staff come from the local area and many of them are Asian and Eastern European. Zeenat believes that skilled staff are key to Ealing’s success and a draw for any business looking to relocate. “We do need to be in this area because of the skilled staff, such as the chefs. They are specialist skilled Indian chefs who make our sweets – not every chef can do that. And many of our staff have been with us for over 30 years and the skills are passed down to their children – some of whom now work for us.” Being close to Heathrow and with easy access to Gatwick is also essential to Bombay Halwa so that the products they produce can then be supplied as fresh as possible to distributors such as Gate Gourmet, and Newrest, who then assemble the meal trays for flights from Heathrow and Gatwick. In the truest sense of the word, Bombay Halwa is a global company with its food flying out to every corner of the globe. The last word should go to the company’s founder Lord Noon who passed away in 2015. “My father always said, “if you can’t eat it, then don’t sell it.”

City & Docklands focuses on regeneration sites, working to deliver innovative and sustainable new homes with exceptional standards of design, construction, and corporate social responsibility. City & Docklands has successfully completed 17 developments and delivered 2,654 homes. Gary Sacks, City & Docklands CEO, believes Ealing makes an ideal location to base an international business because of its, “location, connectivity and opportunity”. Gary said: “We started our business in Kilburn in 1987, and as we grew we began specialising in the Buy to Let market. We moved to Acton in 1994 and began operating as a vertically integrated PRS business. Our first LiFE Residential office opened on the embankment in 2,000 and has grown to become an international business with 13 branches and more than 4,500 properties under management. Our HQ is still located in Acton, and whilst we have had opportunities to move, the location has proven so good we have opted to stay put which has been an excellent business decision - we have never looked back.” Gary feels very business confident about Ealing’s future. “We have 578 homes under construction at Portal West in North Acton, half of which will be operated under our PRS brand AWOL, A Way of Life, and we are working closely on a placemaking initiative (see page 52) with all stakeholders - Ealing Council, the landowners and the community - as we believe North Acton is one of London’s most exciting new destinations.” North Acton is the southern gateway to Old Oak Common and the Park Royal Opportunity Area, the UK’s largest regeneration project bringing 65,000 new jobs and 25,500 new homes over the next 25-30 years. The area boasts excellent transport links, close proximity to Heathrow and will benefit from quick links into central London which are set to improve further with the arrival of Crossrail and HS2, the latter now confirmed for 2028.

City and Docklands One West Point in North Acton

“Location, connectivity and opportunity make Ealing the ideal place to do business.” Gary Sacks, City and Docklands

Otto Car An eco-friendly private hire car alternative

International businesses proud to be working in Ealing

The team behind Otto Car

Four years ago, entrepreneur Gurinder Dhillon spotted a gap in the market for an eco-friendly private hire car leasing company, to capitalise on the trend of drivers becoming self-employed. Since setting up in Ealing Broadway with a partner, Gurinder has grown the company to a staff of 60, with 2,400 vehicles for lease and an annual turnover of £20million – forecast to hit £30million in 2020. And crucially – with a greener fleet of vehicles - trips via an Otto leased car will have a less harmful effect on the environment. Gurinder said: “Apps such as Kabbie, Uber and Bolt are the airlines, providing the infrastructure, and private leasing companies, like us, are the airbuses, the metal, providing the fleet. “We now have one of the largest electric vehicle fleets in the country, with 300 plus electric charged cars and the largest Tesler three fleet. We offer incentives to drivers to switch to us – and a more sustainable vehicle, helping to clean up the air in London.”

“Ealing has a good talent pool of staff … it’s well-connected and cost-effective – and is a nice place to work.” Gurinder Dhillon, Otto Car Due to rapid growth, next year, Otto Car will be expanding overseas with offices opening up in Paris and the west coast of the States. The company has also made it into 21st place in the coveted ‘The Times’ fast track 100 UK companies list. “Ealing has a good talent pool of staff with the right skills set. It’s well-connected and cost-effective – and is a nice place to work, with places to go out and eat and a good environment – you are not in the middle of nowhere. Part of that vibe is the sense of community here too. We are part of the Acton and Ealing business club, a network of SMEs, and it’s good to be part of to access speakers and understand direction of travel nationally for business, helping us plan better and giving us more confidence.” “There are challenges, such as business rents and having more smaller spaces for SMEs to set up, but overall we are super confident about the future.”

REASONS TO DO BUSINESS IN EALING

1 2 3 4 5

An educated pool of talent on our doorstep Zone 1 connectivity and a zone 3 QoL One of London’s greenest boroughs with amazing cultural assets A business minded council with an outstanding track record for delivery A £10.5billion local economy

…SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? WWW.EALINGINLONDON.COM

Ealing in London News

It’s pasta perfect for local restaurant winners Pasta Remoli, based in Dickens Yard, scooped top spot in the second Ealing Restaurant Awards. The awards were cofounded by EatInEaling, run by Rebecca Hamano Cabot, and Andy Gittens, from patisserie Debaere, to showcase the diverse range of cuisines from independent restaurants in the Ealing area. In total 25 independent restaurants entered with 2,300 public votes being cast. Elsewhere on the food scene, Indian restaurant, Rangrez was also a winner scooping the “Best Punjabi Restaurant 2019” title in the London Asian Food awards.

Creating opportunities 2019 Ealing Council joined forces with the five other west London authorities, private sector partners and the creative and digital industries under the headline ‘Creating Opportunities 2019’, at the Capital West London Growth Summit last autumn. Paul Najsarek, Ealing Council’s CEO, speaking on the West London 2050 panel, said: “I’m sure that west London will continue to be richly diverse. Our life sciences, sustainability, technology and automation of labour will be important drivers and we will need to build more genuinely affordable housing.”

A new community at Southall Waterside Catalyst Housing Association welcomed residents into 121 affordable homes in the first phase of Berkeley Home’s Southall Waterside development last summer. As well as the new homes, three new play spaces and 1.2km of new towpath along the Grand Union Canal have been delivered for the community to enjoy. More than 150 residents from the new homes enjoyed a summer street party organised by Catalyst and Berkeley Group as part of their welcome. The residents’ event was the first of many to take place at Southall Waterside to help people mix, meet, try out new sports and find out about everything that Southall has to offer. Southall Waterside is set to transform a disused industrial site into an open landscape for the whole community to enjoy, including biodiverse parkland, a community hub, 3,750 mixed tenure homes and new shops, a cinema and restaurants.

Aviva launches new cross-collaboration Last autumn, Aviva launched a new business community programme for tenants in its cluster of three Grade A office space buildings which total 270,000 sq ft: Aurora, Ealing Cross and Ealing Gateway. The aim of the initiative is to increase cross-collaboration and better networking between the businesses and staff located in the three buildings and was hosted and led by lifestyle manager, Melissa Wignall. Mel said: “The aim...is to create more than just a workplace by creating an eco-system for our customers amongst the...community. These will include initiatives such as friendly local discounts, food truck Wednesdays, networking events, retail pop ups, wellbeing and fitness classes, lunch and learns and new groups and clubs, all handled through an online platform that the tenants have access to.” More events and initiatives are planned for throughout this year.

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Ealing in London News

Ealing is London’s Greenest borough It’s official – Ealing is London’s most eco-friendly borough new research by the world’s largest commercial estate agency, CBRE, has revealed. The news comes as the borough becomes one of only five UK councils to receive ‘Tree Cities of the World’ status, which recognises high standards for urban forest management. CBRE’s research found that Ealing topped the polls for increasing its biodiversity while its recycling rates are the second highest in the Capital. It recycles half its household waste and aims to reach two thirds over the next few years. Food waste is a big borough no-no as all council-collected food waste is converted into electricity for homes and fertiliser for farms. The borough’s biodiversity is being spearheaded by the one-million council-led Greenford-Gurnell Greenway project which will improve 44 acres of borough parkland and open-up the River Brent towpath.

Wildflowers and long grass are being grown to attract voles, field mice, and in turn owls and special owl nesting boxes set up. Ealing Council has also pledged that the borough will become carbon neutral by 2030 as part of its official recognition of the climate emergency and the Mayor of London’s new draft London plan. Ealing Council’s ongoing commitment to treeplanting and greening has been awarded the prestigious ‘Tree Cities of the World’ status, which recognises five high standards for urban forest management. Since 2014, the council has planted more than 6,000 trees and 53,000 saplings. Commenting on the news, Councillor Julian Bell said: “The council has declared a climate emergency and we are doing all in our power to transform Ealing into an even more environmentallyfriendly borough in the years to come.”

Bike hub boost

New Boutique Workplace opens

Above: The two Julians at the new hub.

The Boutique Workplace Company opened in November in Saunders House, in Ealing Broadway offering 19,000sq ft of flexible workspace with 300 desks and three meeting rooms across five floors. The company offers co-working and private work space, to rent by the hour or day, a ground floor lounge space, bar, terrace and is bike and dog friendly. The new space adds to the number of growing flexible workspace choices in Ealing. The office space is fiveminutes-walk to Ealing Broadway station.

The council has teamed up with borough based business and global brand, Brompton Bikes, to make it easier and cheaper for residents to hire the world’s best-known folding bike. Last autumn, Cllr Julian Bell, Leader of Ealing Council and Julian Scriven, MD of Brompton Bike hire, opened the first Brompton dock at Copley Hanwell W7, which is undergoing one of the biggest redevelopments in the borough. The bike hub will be free to join for people in affordable or social housing and costs just £3.50 a day to hire a bike. Julian Scriven said: “This scheme will make sustainable transport affordable for residents. We are looking to increase our bike hire hubs by 25 to 30%. If people aren’t sure cycling is for them, they can try before they buy and we know that 15% of people that do go on to buy a Brompton.”

Two sites are topped out Two major developments got the topping out treatment last year. Cllr Julian Bell joined Mike Woolliscroft, Managing director of Countryside properties, at the topping out ceremony of phase 6.2 at Acton Gardens in the summer. This phase will have a new doctor’s surgery, a children’s nursery, retail opportunities and 160 new homes. Starboard Hotels topped out their Developers Countryside and L&Q join Ealing Council at the almost completed 162-bedroom topping out ceremony at Acton Gardens. Hampton by Hilton hotel in Park Royal last year, a £26m investment for the company. The hotel incorporates a

listed façade and is scheduled to be opened in late spring 2020. Topping out ceremonies are a builders’ rite that are traditionally held when the last beam is placed atop the construction, and helps to bring it good luck.

northolt

a40 12 25

elizabeth line (crossrail)

southall

greenford hanwell

A4020

towards reading & heathrow

southall 33

18 28

hanwell

Ealing Mapped Key developments recently completed and in the pipeline across the London Borough of Ealing.

Acton Town Hall

Acton Gardens

54 The Broadway

Boston Road

The Collective

Copley Estate

Dickens Yard

Ealing Filmworks

Ealing Town Hall

10. Eastern Gateway - Opportunity

elizabeth line (Crossrail)

London

Heathrow

perivale 35

23 5

37 31

a40

towards the city

acton main line

ealing

west ealing 14

North circular rd

10 30

acton 20

ealing

1 2

11. Friary Park

21. North Acton Town Square

30. Sandringham Mews – Opportunity

12. Greenford Car Park – Opportunity

22. The Oaks

31. School sites

13. Greenford Quay

23. Old Oak and Park Royal (OPDC)

32. So Resi Ealing

14. Green Man Lane Estate

24. One West Point

33. Southall Waterside

15. Hampton Hotel

25. Park View Place

34. St Bernard’s Gate

16. Havelock Estate

26. Perceval House site

35. Twford Abbey – Opportunity

17. High Lane Estate

27. Pitzhanger Manor House & Soane’s Kitchen

36. Vida, Trinity Way

18. The Manor House - Southall 19. Margarine Works 20. Morrisons Car Park – Opportunity

28. Quayside Quarter

37. Westgate House

29. Revolution

Development Spotlights

Greenford Quay Park View Place KEY DATE: SPRING 2020 DEVELOPER: GREYSTAR Greenford Quay is a new waterfront community and rental development overlooking the Grand Union Canal in Ealing. It is the UK’s first complete neighbourhood designed from scratch for rental living. A phased build programme is on track to deliver 2,118 high-quality homes over eight hectares and the neighbourhood will grow quickly over the next few years to include shops, a supermarket, restaurants, cafés, offices, a two-form entry primary school and accommodation for an NHS-operated health centre. The completion of the initial launch phase in spring 2020 will see the delivery of 379 studios, one, two and three-bedroom apartments built around a beautifully landscaped public square. A Co-op food store and Little Einstein’s nursery are going to be among the first businesses to occupy the ground floor commercial and retail space to serve the neighbourhood. With a new canal footbridge now open, renovated waterfront and public spaces, Greenford Quay forms a new heart for the area that reconnects with water and woodland for everyone to enjoy. The development is surrounded by nature and only a short walk from the open space and ancient woodland at Horsenden Hill and Paradise Fields – a rich natural habitat. Greenford Quay is easily commutable from central London and Zone 1 can be reached in under 20 minutes on the Central line. Alternatively, cycling along the Grand Union Canal Walk will take 45 minutes to Paddington. Greenford Quay is being developed by Greystar, the global leaders in rental housing, who will retain direct management of the site and its residents through a dedicated on-site team.

KEY DATE: 2ND PHASE 2020 DEVELOPER: INTERLAND

Park View Place is a high-quality residential development in Greenford by developers Interland Group. The first phase of the scheme, Atrium Point, which has been completed and sold to Network Homes in 2018, is made up of 270 residential units which are fully rented at discounted market rates as a result of GLA funding. The second phase, for a new estate of 346 apartments, has now been approved by Ealing Council and the GLA. The construction is set to commence this year and Interland welcomes future collaborations with development partners. The development of four blocks offers 346 residential units from studios to three-bedroom apartments for private sale and rent with access to high quality facilities including a gym, roof terrace, courtyard gardens and underground parking. In total 37.5% of the 346 units are affordable housing with a mix of London affordable rent, London Living rent, discounted market rent and shared ownership homes. Phase two will transform a former car park into a residential estate with very generous recreational space. There will also be a new bridge link to Grove Farm Park at the rear, a new restaurant, café and creche. There will also be new community space, along with pedestrian and cycling routes to Sudbury Hill tube station. This environmentally conscious development will offer solar PV panels, electric charging points and air-sourced heat pump technology, in line with London’s plan for carbon reductions and energy efficiency.

Development Spotlights

Vida KEY DATE: COMPLETION: 2018/19 DEVELOPER: HILL Vida is one of the largest developments of housebuilder Hill’s 21 small sites schemes delivered in partnership with Ealing Council on brownfield land across the borough. Vida, on Trinity Way in East Acton, provides 82 one, two and three bedroom-apartments. Jamie Hunter, Development director, at Hill, said: “Hill is proud to work in partnership with housing associations and local government across Ealing to create stylish new private sale and affordable homes. Our long-standing relationships have led to numerous successful partnerships, including the delivery of a number of high-quality mixed tenure homes with Ealing Council.”

Acton Town Hall KEY DATE: COMPLETION MARCH 2019 DEVELOPER: ONE HOUSING Developer One Housing working with Ealing Council and Historic England completed the restoration of the Grade II listed Acton Town Hall in 2019. The Art Deco building features 71 studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments, with 58 in old Acton Town Hall itself and 13 new build apartments in a carefully designed extension annex. The council chamber has been transformed and retained as a fourbedroom apartment with a huge open living space, ornate -high ceilings and timber panelling. The Grade II listed building has been retained, with many of its original features including art deco doors, ornate fireplaces, staircases, terrazzo flooring, cornicing, herringbone/parquet flooring and its wood panelled walls. Mike Johnson, Group director of development, One Housing said: “We are delighted to have completed the redevelopment of Acton Town Hall. I’d like to thank everyone that was involved in this project. The profits from these homes will be reinvested back into our social purpose to pay for new affordable homes and services for the people we house and care for.”

Affordable new homes for Ealing A2Dominion is creating a new scheme of 120 homes in West Ealing, which includes 35% affordable housing. The development will feature a mixture of one, two and three-bedroom apartments and commercial space on the ground floor. Located on The Broadway, it is one of A2Dominionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest developments in Ealing, where the Group is set to provide 1,000 homes over the next five years, continuing its long-standing relationship with the borough. Whilst A2Dominion takes a commercial approach to housebuilding, all its profits are reinvested into building more new homes and supporting local communities.

a2dominiongroup.co.uk

Development Spotlights

Friary Park KEY DATE: WORKS EXPECTED TO COMMENCE - OCTOBER 2020 DEVELOPER: CATALYST AND MOUNT ANVIL Ealing Broadway-based housing association Catalyst is working with property developers Mount Anvil to deliver the regeneration of the Friary Park estate in Acton. Plans for the 990-homes scheme received resolution to grant planning from Ealing Council’s planning committee in November 2019. The scheme is planned to deliver 45% genuinely affordable housing, including an increase in social rent homes up from 225 to 237. There will also be 28 London affordable rent homes. A few minutes’ walk from the new Acton mainline station, the estate will be regenerated to offer current residents larger, better quality new homes. Since 2014, Catalyst has worked closely with Friary Park’s residents to develop the proposals, ensuring they have been at the heart of decisions. All existing Catalyst tenants on Friary Park estate have the option of being re-housed in the new development if they wish to. Philip Jenkins, Group development director at Catalyst, said: “We’d like to thank our customers and everyone else that have been involved in the consultation for these exciting new proposals for Friary Park since 2014. We are eager and ready to bring forward a new estate that the whole community can live in, play in, and enjoy for years to come.”

Boston Road DEVELOPER: A2DOMINION A2Dominion is to deliver a range of 333 new high-quality, affordable homes at 75-117 Boston Road, in Hanwell. Ealing Council approved plans which include 117 affordable homes, located just minutes from Hanwell station. The new homes will benefit from Elizabeth line journey times of 15 minutes to Bond Street and 10 to Heathrow from next year. The scheme will also provide

new retail, office and amenity spaces, creating a new market square on the edge of Hanwell for the benefit of residents and the wider public. Over the next five years, A2Dominion is set to deliver more than 1,000 new homes in Ealing, including 43% affordable homes, representing its continued commitment to investing in one of west London’s most attractive boroughs.

Toplocks – Havelock Estate KEY DATE: AUTUMN 2020 DEVELOPER: CATALYST Toplocks is another Catalyst project in Ealing and is set to complete later this year. Located next to an offshoot of the Grand Union Canal called Maypole Dock, this new neighbourhood will see the delivery of 26 family-sized homes, for social rent in Southall. Catalyst is also delivering a footbridge over the adjacent dock, creating a new pedestrian and cycle link to the neighbouring Havelock estate. The scheme has been designed to protect and enhance the area’s biodiversity and green space. It will include new landscaping, green roofs on a number of the new homes and a central green with a play space. Catalyst has also committed to planting an orchard in the nearby Glade Lane Canalside Park.

Park View Place Greenford, UB6 Park View Place is a high-quality residential development in the Greenford area of Ealing, West London led by Property Developers Interland Group. The first phase of the scheme (called Atrium Point) which has been completed and sold to Network Homes in 2018 is made up of 270 residential units which are fully rented at discounted market rates as a result of GLA funding. The second phase, for a new estate of 346 apartments, has now been approved by Ealing Council and Greater London Authority. The construction is set to commence this year and Interland Group welcomes future collaborations with development partners.

The development across four blocks offers 346 residential units that range from studios to three-bedroom apartments for private sale and to rent. Amenities will include access to highquality facilities including a gym, roof terrace, courtyard gardens and underground parking.

We are pleased to offer 37.5% of the 346 units as affordable housing with a mix of London affordable rent, London Living rent, discounted market rent and shared ownership homes. Phase 2 sets to transform a former car park into a residential estate with very generous recreational space.

There will also be a new bridge link to Grove Farm Park at the rear, a new restaurant, cafĂŠ and creche. Furthermore, the development offers approximately 4.3 acres of new community space, along with pedestrian and cycling routes to Sudbury Hill tube station. This environmentally conscious development will offer solar PV panels, electric charging points and air-sourced heat pump technology. This is in line with Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plan for carbon reductions and energy efficiency. The third phase will explore other potential opportunities for a residential-led mix use scheme in the undeveloped parts of the estate. The proposed is to further improve the package of community benefits, increase areas of public realm and potentially offer up to 50% affordable housing.

For further information please visit www.interlandgroup.co.uk

Development Spotlights

Acton Gardens KEY DATE: AUTUMN 2020 DEVELOPER: COUNTRYSIDE AND L&Q Acton Gardens, Countryside and L&Q’s regeneration of the former South Acton estate in west London, has continued to gain momentum over the past year, with new community facilities and homes delivered and a revised masterplan approved by Ealing Council and the Mayor of London. A total of 3,463 homes will now be built at the development, of which 48% of the total habitable rooms will be affordable. On completion in 2029, Acton Gardens will provide almost a third more (31%) social housing than before regeneration began. To date,1,767 homes and 11,617 sq ft of community facilities have been

completed at the development, with over 660 homes under construction, delivering around 300 homes each year. In July 2019, the new community and youth centre opened, replacing existing facilities on the estate with modern, well-equipped community spaces. These community facilities are part of a new hub for residents, which also comprises a dental practice and shop. A nursery, GP’s surgery and

Perceval House site KEY DATE: CIVIC CENTRE COMPLETION 2023 DEVELOPER: VISTRY PARTNERSHIPS AND EALING COUNCIL Plans to progress the redevelopment of the council’s civic centre Perceval House site continue to gather pace with developers Vistry Partnerships (formerly Galliford Try) preparing to submit their planning application in early 2020. Vistry’s proposals will re-provide a new civic centre for Ealing Council fronting Uxbridge Road, a modern council customer services centre, library and to the rear around 470 residential units, 50% of which will be affordable housing. The civic centre will be completed first and is expected by late 2023.

more retail space will be completed in autumn 2020. Daniel King, Managing director, Partnerships West London, Countryside, commented: “With 94% of existing residents requesting new homes at Acton Gardens, we are delighted to be able to meet this need through the revised masterplan, as well as providing new high-quality homes for those looking to live in this thriving location.”

Ealing Town Hall DEVELOPER: MASTCRAFT Ealing Council exchanged contracts with Mastcraft in November last year, subject to the Charity Commissions agreement, to lease Ealing Town Hall for the refurbishment of the building. This will allow for the renovation of space used for civic functions, council offices, meeting rooms, registrars, marriage and citizenship ceremonies and community hire in the east of the building. The rest of the grade two listed historic building will be used for a hotel, health suite, restaurant and meeting rooms, some of which will be available for community hire including the magnificent Victoria Hall.. The council will retain freehold ownership of the town hall and will continue to act as a trustee for the Victoria Hall Trust, to ensure the Victoria Hall and Queen’s Hall and other future rooms in the building, will be preserved for community use and charitable purposes, providing the Charity Commission agree to the proposals.

Development Spotlights

54 The Broadway Southall – Ealing Broadway Waterside KEY DATE: OFFICE REFURBISHMENT COMPLETION LATE 2020 DEVELOPER: BRITISH LAND A major office refurbishment at 54 The Broadway is due to get underway in February 2020. Works are due to be completed late 2020. The building will see the entire 21,000 sq ft of office space located over three floors transformed into brand new, Grade A office space. Plans include a complete upgrade to office elevations, creation of a new garden space for office workers and the addition of cycling and modern amenities. Located in the heart of Ealing town centre and minutes from the train, tube and new Crossrail station, the refurbishment will set a new standard for the Ealing office market. The new office space will also benefit from its proximity to Ealing Broadway shopping centre, which has undergone significant transformation since being acquired by British Land in 2013. Project team Rex Proctor and Partners are overseeing the refresh, while McClaren Construction Ltd are the appointed contractors working alongside architects Corstorphine + Wright.

DEVELOPER: BERKELEY HOMES

In 2019, Berkeley Homes delivered the first phase of the Southall Waterside development. In conjunction with Catalyst, 127 homes, all of which are either affordable rent or shared ownership are now occupied. These homes form part of the first phase at Southall Waterside which will comprise 623 homes, 304 of which are affordable. Elsewhere on site, 1.2km of towpath has been reinstated along the Grand Union Canal for the community to enjoy. To the west of the development, Berkeley has planted over 200 new trees and 10,000 new plants to encourage wildlife and nature to flourish. Within phase two, works are underway on the 200,000sqft buildings which will facilitate a proposed cinema, leisure, retail and entertainment facilities. The scale, ambition and scope of Berkeley’s original vision remain at its core. At 88-acres, Southall Waterside is one of London’s most ambitious regeneration projects – the same size as 3.5 O2 arenas. To get an idea of it, the length of the new linear park will be equivalent to 278 squash courts of open space for all to enjoy. Karl Whiteman, Divisional managing director, Berkeley East Thames, said: “We are delighted to have welcomed our first residents into their affordable homes and look forward to more people moving in throughout the year. The future for this new vibrant village is exciting. Residents will benefit from the open green space, the extensive leisure and retail facilities and the excellent connectivity of Southall.” See: Page 58 – 62 – Building a Future

Ealing Filmworks KEY DATE: 2021 Construction is nearing completion on St George’s Filmworks development in Ealing Broadway. Once topped out, Filmworks will be a mixed-use development of 209 high-spec residential units, a multi-screen cinema and 12 ground level units for retail, commercial and community uses. Among the retailers currently confirmed as occupiers

DEVELOPER: ST GEORGE are Planet Organic. The new development will feature a new town square plaza and will open up pedestrian links to Bond Street, Ealing Green and Walpole Park. The centrepiece of the development will be the eight-screen Picturehouse cinema which will have capacity for 1,045 seats. The new cinema is expected to be open in 2021.

Ealing in London Opportunities Ealing is a pro-active, pro-development and pro-investment council. The council has the following opportunities – giving you the chance to be part of Ealing’s success story. These are some of the sites we would be interested in discussing with developer partners.

Sandringham Mews 23-45 High Street, Ealing W5 Sandringham Mews is 0.63HA of land in Ealing town centre. It is bounded by the Uxbridge Road, Bond Street and Broadway shopping centre. It is currently occupied by a range of small retailers, restaurants and cafes on street level and a surface car park. It has the potential to be a mixed-use development with retail/cultural/creative/leisure use units at ground floor and residential, or commercial above. Transport Links are excellent with main line, underground and future Crossrail links at Ealing Broadway station. Key roads are the Uxbridge Road and A40.

Acton Gateway (Morrisons site) A key opportunity site, which is an ‘entrance’ into Acton High Street from Ealing Common on the Uxbridge Road. This 1.3HA site offers great potential as a mixed-use development site for retail and residential. There is also the possibility of improving the access to the town square. Acton has undergone major regeneration with the Oaks shopping centre and the old town hall building reopening this year and new Acton Crossrail services due in 2021.

Eastern Gateway The eastern gateway is a 0.2HA site fronting Uxbridge Road on the approach from Ealing Common to Ealing Broadway and sits within Ealing town centre. It currently comprises two public houses and has multiple private uses. The site is within easy proximity of Ealing Broadway main line, underground and future Crossrail services and has scope for mixed use development including retail, office and residential uses. It is currently in multiple private uses and ownership.

Creating great places and affordable homes in Ealing since 1963

For more information contact: Catalyst.Developer@chg.org.uk

chg.org.uk

CAT052_Ealing in London 2020

Proud supporter of Ealing in London

Ealing in London Opportunities

Twyford Abbey This is a 13.3HA site and a Grade II listed Historic England at risk listed building. It dates from early 18th century and is a Gothic style manor house and walled gardens – vacant since 1988 and currently derelict and requires substantial renovation. It requires a developer to work in collaboration with Historic England to undertake restoration. Possible uses – hotel, school, public parkland, and a range of luxury and affordable apartments. There is planning consent for a school. There are good transport links to the A40, A406 and underground Central Line.

Greenford Car Park Greenford car park is located in the Greenford town centre vicinity. Greenford Car Park is a 0.58 HA site and is an opportunity for mixed-use development including commercial and residential appropriate to the town centre up to 100 units.

Revolution

- office development 52 Uxbridge Road Located along Ealing’s office corridor, CEG’s 170,000 sq ft Revolution building has been designed to meet occupier demand for more collaborative and flexible space. On completion, it will have up to 10-storeys of Grade A futureproofed and fully tech-enabled, office space. It will be offered to the market as an HQ development, fully-furnished ready to occupy on flexible terms, floor-byfloor or as let-ready studios for four to 50 people. Revolution is a great solution for those wanting a prime business location in Elizabeth line ready Ealing.

For more on these and other opportunities in Ealing borough please visit

www.ealinginlondon.com 29

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Umesh Sharma is the chairperson of the Shree Ram Mandir Temple in Southall. Umesh, a local magistrate, has lived in Southall for 45 years and was Mayor of Ealing in 1998. Opened in 1965, the Shree Ram Mandir is one of the oldest Hindu temples in London.

“Southall lacks an underground so when Crossrail comes it will be life-changing for us. There are thousands of people living here that work in Heathrow, so getting to the airport in eight minutes will make life so much easier for them. “Crossrail will also benefit Southall economically and as a tourist place - we’ve got some of the best Asian restaurants, music and jewellery in Europe. The real attraction is that so many people from different communities live together happily. When you visit Southall, a smile will automatically light up your face – I guarantee it.”

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From multi-cultural Southall in the west to Acton in the trendsetting east, new connections will change the face of Ealing. Crossrail’s Elizabeth line will give the borough the most Elizabeth line stations of any London borough – slashing journey times in half, and opening-up new areas for employment and leisure.

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All Change! With the Elizabeth line coming to five stations across the borough, faces from each neighbourhood tell Ealing In London what benefits its arrival could bring.

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Faye Hamilton is the co-director of the Hanwell Hootie, the UK’s biggest free one-day music festival. Faye has lived in Hanwell since 1993 and helped set the Hootie up in 2013 in recognition of Jim Marshall, the founder of Marshall amps. Today, the Hootie hosts over 100 national and international music acts in venues across Hanwell, attracting around 30,000 fans. Faye also helps run the West Ealing SoundBite Festival.

“Not everyone has heard of Hanwell, so Crossrail will really put the area on the map – quite literally! “The new line will halve the time for locals to get to the centre of London – as well as bringing others in to discover us. It will make Hanwell a more attractive location for budding business entrepreneurs – as we a have a thriving independent local economy. We have a great community - the Hootie has really helped bring people together. “We are on the edge of the green belt and when you take a stroll along the canal you feel as if you could be on a long country walk. Looking west, Crossrail will open up places like Taplow and Burnham giving locals the chance to discover other places. In all, Crossrail will bring the city and countryside closer to Hanwell.”

MINS

“Ealing is undergoing a massive regeneration and the town centre is being revitalised with stylish new shops, bars and restaurants. There’s been a substantial increase in services, facilities and leisure opportunities for people to enjoy; these are all contributing to make Ealing an exciting London destination in its own right and will attract new businesses and visitors from across the capital. Quick Crossrail links will make it easy to travel to Ealing and the influx of visitors will provide a strong boost to the local economy.”

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Miguel Morales is originally from Spain and opened Reineta, an organic deli and coffee shop, in 2019 in Ealing’s newest quarter Dickens Yard. Ten years in the making, the development has cemented Ealing’s reputation for being able to deliver successfully integrated town centre retail, leisure and residential quarters. More exciting retail, restaurant and lifestyle outlets are planned for opening in 2020.

“Being in the heart of Ealing really is lovely. Everyday we have so many different customers coming through Dickens Yard, from mums with toddlers, freelancers hotdesking, the elderly to office workers. We give our space for free to local musicians, and we have our Salsa dancing night, when things get a bit livelier. We clear away tables so that everyone can get up and dance.” “Dickens Yard is car free so it’s a relaxing space for families and we also have lots of workshops for kids. I’m really looking forward to Crossrail coming and more businesses opening up in Dickens Yard along with markets and events – for me having competition is a good thing.”

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Esaiyas Mollallegn is Head of Marketing at Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing (MTVH), one of the UK’s largest housing associations. MTVH is transforming the former BHS store on Ealing Broadway into SO Resi Ealing, a collection of shared ownership apartments with balconies and communal roof gardens. Recently launched for sale, the homes are just ten minutes’ walk from West Ealing station.

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Leon Joseph is a Regeneration officer for Ealing Council, and has been integral to the Acton Gardens redevelopment, previously the South Acton Estate. Today, the estate is becoming a new urban village encompassed by leafy streets and the area’s unique character. Establishing trust with residents during the estate’s decant process, Leon has led community consultations and events and worked closely with families and the police on ASB issues. The regeneration of the estate is led by Ealing Council and Acton Gardens LLP, the joint venture of Countryside and L&Q.

“Acton has a sense of fun about it –- after all the estate is where Del Boy’s flat in ‘Only Fools and Horses’ was filmed. The high street has got something for everyone: places of worship, a regular market, a funky new climbing wall and the new Oaks shopping centre. “Acton Gardens has been opened up so that it now links to the surrounding areas and is a place of contemporary high density living with top quality green and play spaces. The community tell me these changes makes it feel as if the estate is theirs – a proper neighbourhood, where they feel safe bringing up their families. “Crossrail is going to link central London up with this laidback slice of London life and bring new opportunities. I can’t wait!”

The HEART of the COMMUNITY Well located in the centre of Ealing and close to the train and tube station, Ealing Broadway is an attractive and convenient shopping destination that has undergone a significant transformation. Attracting an annual footfall in excess of 16 million, the mixed-use centre has over 80 retail and restaurant units, a gym, library and 100,000 sq ft of office space. With a much improved shopping environment and a host of new retailers and restaurants, this centre is now the heart of the community.

Visit www.britishland.com to find out more

Our Community: • 50+ community events since 2014 • Charitable fundraising exceeds £120,000 since 2014 • Christmas Market voted in top 10 markets for London • Introduced a French Market selling artisan gifts and French delicacies • Ongoing partnership with Ealing MENCAP to provide work placements for adults with learning disabilities

Latest Activity: • Opened a state of the art Library • New store openings included The Works, Peefer, Curious Roo, Decathlon, Miniso and Sports Direct • Successful launch of OPEN Ealing pop-up art gallery on Oak Road • Planning Permission achieved to refurbish 54 The Broadway, which comprises 21,500 sq ft of office space • Peter Rabbit launched a Maze installation for the summer

Coming Soon: • Complete refurbishment of 54 The Broadway • Open new stores including Moss Bros and BeerKat • Refurbishment of Ealing Broadway Station • Planned internal refurbishment of International House • Crossrail to open in 2021

To the Manor Born Sir John Soane’s Pitzhanger Manor reopened in 2019 after a three-year, £12million project to restore it to its original Georgian splendour. Robin Das tells its story from eighteenth century rural retreat to reinvention as Ealing’s ‘national’ treasure.

t is a truly inspirational origin story - Sir John Soane’s rise from a humble background as the son of a bricklayer to one of the Georgian era’s most celebrated NeoClassical style architects with a glittering A list of clients, commissions and properties including his eponymous museum and the Dulwich Picture Gallery. As a sanctuary from London life, Soane’s growing wealth and prestige enabled him to purchase Pitzhanger Manor in 1801 as his country retreat. Apart from an original wing, Soane demolished the house and rebuilt it in his idiosyncratic architectural style. Trademark Soane features include strippedback classical detailing, radical colour schemes and inventive use of space and light. Pitzhanger Manor became Soane’s ‘dream home’, a rural retreat and place of

entertainment for weekend parties. Its collection of paintings, books, drawings and fragments later formed the core of the collection at Sir John Soane’s Museum which includes Hogarth’s ‘A Rake’s Progress’, now returning to Pitzhanger for the first time in 200 years as the centrepiece of a new exhibition in March 2020. After the Soane dynasty demise, the manor house passed through a succession of Victorian owners, including the family of Britain’s only assassinated prime minister, Spencer Perceval, who added their own less than inspiring embellishments while plastering over much of Soane’s original designs. By 2015, the area surrounding the borough’s most significant Grade I listed building - changed beyond recognition - was once again experiencing a burst of regeneration and building activity. The time

“Pitzhanger is revealed as designed by Soane for the first time in over 150 years.” Clare Gough, Director of Pitzhanger Manor and Gallery Trust Pitzhanger’s vestibule

was now right for Ealing Council to restore and renew the borough’s most treasured heritage asset. Tony Clements, Executive director of Place, said: “It’s fair to say that Pitzhanger Manor was looking its age and not in a good way and was in need of major renovation. In 2009, a report had identified £1.8million in repairs that needed to be implemented, buildings added to the original house had given it an unwelcoming appearance, and its 1980s renovation and 20th century heating and light fittings were not in keeping with the period. “While the house was extremely popular and was an important educational centre, visitors wanted a better telling of Soane’s story, improved disabled access and we wanted to attract more diverse groups to visit.”

Led by Ealing Council under the stewardship of the Pitzhanger Manor &Gallery Trust, a £12million three-year investment and restoration programme commenced in 2015. The aims were simple – to restore Pitzhanger to its original glory, to reconnect the house to the 1930s built gallery, to reimagine Soane’s story to visitors new and old alike and to make the house accessible to all. Working with some of the heritage industry’s most specialist conservators and architects, Jestico + Whiles and Julian Harrap Architects, the works painstakingly reinstated key elements of Soane’s original plans: the conservatory, which was originally demolished in 1901; the iconic central roof light; the recreation of a beautiful colonnade connecting the manor and gallery buildings and the meticulous restoration throughout of Soane’s original intricate paint schemes from the early 1800s.

Pitzhanger now hosts events year round for the whole community

The Breakfast and Library Room

“Pitzhanger Manor is the crown jewel of Ealing’s heritage.” Cllr Julian Bell, Ealing Council The Drawing Room

Part of the teams’ brief was to analyse how the building had evolved over time with later embellishments and additions. Design decisions were based on the evidence of hundreds of drawings, analysis of paint and paper and Soane’s own writings. This research revealed elements of Soane’s ingenious architecture that were not previously visible, including the hidden north façade concealed behind the Victorian extension and the missing innovative lantern rooflight and west facing glasshouse conservatory, both now reinstated as Soane had originally designed them. Alongside the Georgian house, the adjoining 1930s-built gallery was transformed into a stunning 225sqm exhibition space. The inaugural exhibition featured contemporary British artist Anish Kapoor and was followed by a newly-commissioned immersive sculpture by artist and stage designer Es Devlin. Julian Bell, Leader of Ealing Council, said: “Pitzhanger Manor is the crown jewel of Ealing’s heritage. We are pleased to once again be welcoming visitors who are familiar to Soane’s story as well as those who are discovering him for the first time.”

Clare Gough, Director of Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery Trust, said: “We are delighted to reveal for the first time in over 150 years Pitzhanger as designed by Soane. It is exciting to see visitors inspired both by Soane’s architecture and the contemporary art exhibitions set up alongside his designs.” Since reopening a year ago, industry praise has not been lacking in what has been achieved – Pitzhanger Manor won Best Conservation prize at the New London Architecture Awards, was a winner at the RIBA awards and made it onto the prestigious Stirling prize longlist. Soane’s collections included paintings by other famous Londoners including Hogarth, who depicted the poverty and corruption of the Georgian capital, and Turner (an old friend of Soane’s) plus the other slave trade abolitionists who Soane hosted at Pitzhanger. The stories of Soane and his contemporaries have powerful connotations with Londoners today, who now have an opportunity to better understand one of Britain’s most forward-thinking architects when visiting the building in Ealing that he called home.

Conservation work in the Drawing Room

Entry to Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery is £7.70 (concessions available) and is free to members and Ealing residents on Tuesday and Sunday mornings. For general and exhibition information, visit www.pitzhanger.org.uk Pitzhanger Manor is available for weddings and special events, corporate events and location hire. Contact private.hire@pitzhanger.org.uk for more information. Pitzhanger Manor relies on the generosity of donors to sustain and grow its exhibitions, events and education programmes. If you are interested in supporting Pitzhanger Manor, opportunities range from membership from just £35 per year, to sponsoring a pane of glass or becoming a patron. To find out more, email rachel.page@pitzhanger.org.uk

Soane’s The Creative Kitchen with a Kind Heart With the dazzling reimaging of Pitzhanger Manor and Gallery, Soane’s Kitchen has opened alongside it offering a feast of culinary delights – and a chance for some youngsters to turn their lives around. Manager and entrepreneur Alex Head talked to Robin Das.

Food was at the heart of the home in the Georgian era, so, it is fitting that as part of the renovation of the manor house, a new eating and entertainment venue has opened. Soane’s Kitchen has been built alongside the grand Georgian house, sympathetically complementing it, with beautiful entrances opening onto Walpole Park and Pitshanger Lane. Alex Head is the entrepreneur behind Social Pantry, the company that has secured the contract to run both the Soane’s kitchen restaurant and the park kiosk. Social Pantry’s ethos is simple; fresh, seasonal and delicious food at a fair price point and, as far as possible, locally sourced.

“West London has some great culinary gems and local produce that has found its way onto Soane’s menu.” Alex Head, Social Pantry “West London has some great culinary gems and local produce that has found its way onto our menu,” says Alex. Local sourdough bread, Ealing ethically sourced honey produced by ‘The Hive’ and home-grown fennel and rosemary from the walled garden are just some of the products that these kitchen creatives blend, stir and simmer into dishes and drinks. These include herbs used in bespoke Soane’s house drinks, such as in Soane’s signature mint cooler mocktail and fennel used to make their butter. “Where the

Credit: Jade Nina Sarkhel - Food Photographer

hen Sir John Soane built his manor house in the early 1800s, he would likely have finished off a hard day’s work by feasting upon haunches of mutton, washed down with a Georgian jug of syllabub, a creamy concoction of cider and nutmeg.

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garden can produce we will use its ingredients,” says Alex. “Staff experiment with ingredients and we keep the menu reactive to the garden and use what’s there. We make sure we listen to our customers to get it right.” Alex has certainly been getting it right since setting up Social Pantry, which has five sites across the capital including the two at Pitzhanger. The company hosts bespoke events, dinner parties for 10 to 1000, weddings and celebrations. “Our events are a mix of privates and corporates…and we have a wide mixture of clients which keeps my job really varied. And we have the sites such as a gorgeous café next to the Arts Centre in Battersea, Crane’s Kitchen which is next to the South London Gallery in Peckham, and of course we are in Ealing.” Social Pantry has a wider ethos of helping youngsters who have offended rebuild their lives by getting into a structured career. Alex Head, Across their workforce, ten percent are exoffenders. Alex and her team work with prisons, the Ministry of Justice and other charities to hire ex-offenders. Alex explains: “Four years ago I took on my first ex-offender, someone I still employ, through a fantastic charity called ‘Key for life’. Over the years I’ve developed my own relationships with the prisons. I now go into them and recruit behind bars but also on release as well.” ‘Bad Boys Bakery’ and ‘Redemption Roasters’ operate in some of the jails and are examples of how offenders are developing catering skills inside and can make valuable recruits for socially conscious caterers such as Social Pantry. Alex expands: “Ex-offenders are very loyal, ambitious employees and they make of it what they want. They all receive paid employment and they can move up the ladder – some are now junior managers, such as in the kiosk.”

When ex-offenders join Social Pantry they work across all teams including kitchens and front of house. Alex said: “We have two exoffenders at Soane’s Kitchen out of 20 staff. They stay for as long as possible, so they get a paid job and work near to where they live. It’s a long-term position, they come on board, progress within the company, and have as much opportunity as anyone else.” Having left school at 15, not of her own choice, Alex knows about some of the knocks of life. However, she grew up in a family where mealtimes were important which helped her as she set up her own sandwich delivery company. “Thinking of my mum and gran resonates good memories of entertaining and food; I loved being in the kitchen from a young age,” she says. Her passion for food led her to set up Social Pantry and to secure the contract for Soane’s Kitchen for at least the next five years. The local community has been key in Social Pantry making Soane’s a success and making sure it has longevity at Pitzhanger. By connecting and opening up the restaurant to Walpole park, park-users are dropping in and using the space and it is fast becoming the place for an affordable but special evening out. “What we want to do now is to drive events and business to the manor and to get people to come and visit Ealing and Pitzhanger by offering some really great events and some great food,” says Alex. “We have been working really closely with the (Pitzhanger Manor and House) Trust. We are very grateful that they have recognised a small brand and given us an opportunity like this. And we are a socially aware company which shares their vision of bringing the manor to life, seeing it, enjoying it and celebrating it as one of London’s prime venues.” A sentiment Sir John Soane would surely have endorsed.

“What we want to do is to drive business to Pitzhanger manor to get people to come and visit Ealing.”

Inside Soane’s Kitchen next to Pitzhanger Manor House and within Walpole Park.

What’s cooking at Soane’s Soane’s Kitchen endeavour to only use the best produce from trusted, local and authentic suppliers. They also aspire to grow seasonal produce in garden. SOANE’S SEASONAL MENU Spring: Soane’s signature mint cooler cocktail Summer: Fresh pea and mint risotto Autumn: Roasted pumpkin soup, sage oil, toasted nuts and seeds Winter: 12-hour slow cooked featherblade beef, with chestnut mushroom ketchup soaneskitchen.co.uk

aling is in the grip of an unprecedented housing shortage. Its excellent transport links, first-rate schools and longstanding status as ‘Queen of the Suburbs’ make it a very desirable place to live, which means it has been hit particularly hard by the national housing crisis. Almost 10,000 households in the borough are in urgent need of affordable housing. Rents are rising, benefits are being cut and there is nowhere near enough social housing available to meet demand. But it is not just the lowest income households struggling – many midmarket renters and buyers are also being priced out. The growth of any city relies on a ready supply of skilled labour. Many young professionals like teachers and nurses can’t afford market rents in London, with the prospect of buying their own home a distant fantasy for many. But long waiting lists mean they are unlikely to qualify for social housing any time soon – leaving them trapped in the middle with few options.

Forward thinking

- a new model of housing delivery The housing crisis has left councils across the country scrambling to find answers to the shortage of decent homes. But Ealing Council has found a solution – its wholly-owned development company Broadway Living. Quinton Drawbridge reports on the innovative role it is playing in shaping the council’s future.

Cllr Peter Mason, Cabinet member for housing, planning and transformation, said: “London’s affordable housing crisis has meant that many residents on average incomes, including key workers, have become locked out of ever owning their own home or renting at affordable rates. That’s why Ealing and other forward-thinking local authorities have intervened in the market place by setting up housing companies like Broadway Living, to help more people who need support to get onto the property ladder and into genuinely affordable homes.” Initially, Broadway Living was founded in 2014 as a means to sell and let a proportion of the new homes the council builds. Sitting outside of the usual local government housing finance system, Broadway Living has given the council more control over rents and borrowing. Essentially, it acts as a conduit by which the council can let some homes at intermediate rent levels, while continuing to manage all of its social lets. This enables the delivery of more genuinely affordable homes with all profits from private sales and intermediate lets ploughed back into creating even more new social housing. Philip Browne was appointed as Ealing Council’s Director of housing development in 2019. As part of his role, he is Managing Director of Broadway Living. He told us a bit more about the reasons why the council decided to set up the company. “Broadway Living was originally set up to offer a more diverse range of housing options, such as shared ownership, to meet housing demand,” said Philip. “It offers the council more control over its income from those sales and lets, allowing us to channel more of the profits towards funding more muchneeded social housing. “The first sales branded as Broadway Living were the 31 homes in Copley’s Alton Court development. More than 90% of these homes were sold off-plan, all to local people – usually first-time buyers taking their first step into the housing market. None were sold to buy-to-let landlords.” Under Broadway Living’s stewardship, the regeneration of Copley is going from strength to strength. “Broadway Living has bought 35 of the 201 new homes that will be built during phase six at Copley, which helps the council with capital funding and cash flow on the project”,

added Philip. “Those homes will be let at intermediate rent models, which are designed to help renters save for a deposit to eventually buy their own homes. It will also act as Ealing’s sales brand for the 85 shared ownership and open market sale homes at the site.” The success of Copley has also not gone unnoticed across the housing and regeneration industry as a whole. To date, Broadway Living has won several industry awards including the Evening Standard’s ‘Best First-Time Buyer’ award, and the, ‘What House? Starter Home, Show Home and Readers’ awards. As a company Broadway Living has been awarded for its exceptional and forward-thinking partnership model for ‘Best Partnership’ at the Inside Housing Development Awards.

“Broadway Living’s commercial acumen makes it an easy client to work with and gives us confidence.” Jamie Hunter, Director, Hill housebuilder

Commercial acumen Jamie Hunter is Development director for Hill, the awardwinning, five-star housebuilder and developer which has worked on two major projects with Ealing Council and Broadway Living. The Ealing small sites scheme, such as Catterick House in Northolt in 2018, saw Hill deliver almost 300 new homes on 19 plots of redundant council land around the borough. Hill is also building more than 200 new homes at Copley phase six. Jamie thinks Broadway Living reflects the council’s forward thinking, agile approach. “Broadway Living has adapted itself to the market place”, he told us. “It understands sales and marketing – for example the importance of presentation and creating sales suites early in the process. A lot of local authorities just aren’t set up to think that way, but Broadway Living is. “That degree of commercial acumen makes it an easy client to work with and gives us confidence that their team knows what it’s doing. They understand the challenges of developing for different tenures – building to sell is very different from building to let. Broadway Living listens and takes advice, and it has acknowledged that the product and specifications are different. “Hill has a customer journey process which focuses on satisfaction, detailing things like how we inspect properties before handover, ensuring a strong degree of after care and that the customer experience is positive. Having realised that it really adds value, Broadway Living has embraced the process and applied something similar itself. The fact that it has done so means it understands the merit of customer satisfaction.”

New award-winning homes on Copley Hanwell, W7.

A practical, realistic approach to development Another example of major development is the redevelopment of Perceval House, in Ealing, which is being lead by Vistry Partnerships. From 2021, the site will be transformed to incorporate both an outstanding new office for the council and around 470 new homes – 50% of which will be affordable. Broadway Living will manage the let of 244 of the homes. Michael Burdis is Vistry’s Senior development manager. “Dealing with Broadway Living has been a very positive experience,” said Michael. “The team has engaged with us in a very practical, realistic manner to ensure that we mutually achieve our ambitions for each scheme. Broadway Living has taken a partnership approach and shown great willing.

Steve Pound former MP for Ealing North, Ealing Council councillors and Cain Peters, Hill with new residents at Catterick House.

Proud sponsors of Ealing in London

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Hill is proud to work in partnership with housing associations and local government across Ealing to create stylish new private sale and affordable homes. Our long-standing relationships have led to numerous successful partnerships, including the delivery of a number of high-quality mixed tenure homes with Ealing Council. As a 5 star award-winning housebuilder, we pride ourselves on the quality of our new homes. We have a diverse portfolio ranging from landmark mixed-use regeneration schemes and luxurious inner-city apartments to modern rural developments. Around half of our portfolio is created in joint venture and we look forward to working with our partners to deliver even more exciting projects across London.

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“Normally landowners are only interested in financial return, but that’s not the case here – Broadway Living has an eye on the long-term effects of development. “It’s early days for them, but it’s clear that Broadway Living will offer huge benefits for the council and the borough’s residents in the long run.”

The right partner for the private sector Its commercial mindset makes Broadway Living the ideal partner for any private developer, giving Ealing a big advantage over most other councils. Philip explained: “Broadway Living means our partners get to work with another commercial organisation, which understands the public sector and has easy access to the right people at the council to make things happen.” Broadway Living could also help de-risk a project. “Working with Broadway Living could be one way to make a project viable for private developers,” added Philip. “Our long-term interest in making the borough a better place means we could be open to schemes which might otherwise be hard to get off the ground.”

A market leader of the future? The growing success of Broadway Living means that it is now set for a giant leap forward. Over the course of 2020, it will expand to become the council’s main vehicle for housing development, tasked with delivering affordable housing on council-owned land to help Ealing meet its ambitious affordable housing targets.

It is also becoming a registered provider, enabling it to deliver Ealing’s existing £99 million Greater London Authority grant programme and access further funding. Becoming a registered provider also means it can act as a housing association to its tenants, and it will bring the management of its tenancies in-house. Philip will oversee this step change in the company’s function. “We want to transform the way in which Ealing Council benefits from its housing and land assets,” he told us. “Our priority is to support the council’s commitment to create 2,500 genuinely affordable new homes by 2022, by making best use of the council’s land and working with partners to maximise the number of high-quality socially rented homes. We want to create a development programme for the borough which is sustainable in the long term, by using profits from private sales and intermediate rents to subsidise more genuinely affordable homes.” Change is happening at a rapid pace. “We’re swiftly scaling up to create an operational structure, with our own staff, finances and vision, making us able to act more commercially than the council,” he said. “Broadway Living will be an entrepreneurial, dynamic developer, providing exemplary affordable housing by partnering with the private sector. Some of the council’s existing development projects, like our regeneration of the Copley and High Lane estates, will be managed by Broadway Living, and it will manage all new housing developments on council land.” Broadway Living could soon use its expertise to help other local authorities. “Ealing is well ahead of many of its contemporaries on this issue, and there is already interest from many other councils in tapping into our expertise,” added Philip.

Inside an apartment at Copley

“Our priority is to support the council’s commitment to create 2,500... Copley phase 6

...genuinely affordable new homes by 2022.” Philip Browne, Managing Director, Broadway Living

2,500 new socially let homes With Broadway Living’s help, Ealing Council is now well on its way to its target of creating at least 2,500 genuinely affordable homes by April 2022. As of March 2020, 1,250 properties had been started or completed by Ealing Council and housing associations – meaning the council is 40% towards completing its 2,500 milestone. With 1,138 homes in the pipeline for the next three years, Ealing is directly building more council homes for let than any other London borough. The ramping up of its building programme means the council will directly develop more new homes for social rent in the four-year period to April 2022 than it did in the rest of this century combined. The remainder of the 2,500 homes will be delivered through the council’s planning system – which will ensure that a percentage of all private developments are genuinely affordable.

“Once we’ve built up the necessary capacity and experience, we’ll consider ways to market Broadway Living’s services to other local authorities – either as wholesale projects or specific systems and procedures.” “Over the next five years the vision is to grow our stock to over 1,500 homes,” said Philip. “With this asset base and a solid track record of delivery, we could look to start raising our own finance, and longer term the aim is to grow to become a medium sized developer.” “We will use our ability to access grants and structure debt to invest in the community. We will be long-term investors in the local lettings market, so in order to maintain the homes’ value, it’s in our interests to build them to the highest quality possible.” With this long-term view, Broadway Living will ensure that Ealing can offer affordable, decent, sustainable homes to those who need them most. If you’re interested in finding out how your business could work with Broadway Living, get in touch. www.broadwayliving.co.uk

Galliard’s Westgate House

Westgate House, W5 O’Shea and Galliard Homes are transforming the eight-storey Westgate office block into a vibrant residential environment. The development will boast 378 apartments with the addition of a newly built block for Broadway Living. Located minutes from the central line and within easy reach of Ealing town centre, its striking interiors will be beautifully complimented with high-end appliances. Residents can make ample use of its fully equipped gym, screening room, stylish lounge and communal work area. The development features a stunning glazed roof atrium, and landscaped amenity spaces. O’Shea are working as the design and build contractor in addition to developing the scheme in conjunction with Galliard Homes. O’Shea’s are currently on site ensuring all units will be ready to become homes by autumn 2020.

We have reached an exciting milestone with a planning application to be submitted this year – taking us a step closer to delivering our shared vision with Ealing Council for a new, sustainable mixed use community. Matthew Taylor Managing Director for Vistry Partnerships, London Developments

Vistry Group incorporates four different successful businesses: Bovis Homes, Linden Homes, Vistry Partnerships and Drew Smith. By combining the talents of each of these great businesses Vistry Group becomes one of the top 5 housebuilders in the UK.

”

Vistry Partnerships is a hybrid business that acts as both contractor and developer, providing new, affordable homes whilst regenerating communities across London with our development partners, including the Mayor of London, Registered Housing Providers, London Boroughs and investors. Vistry Partnerships is pleased to be working with Ealing Council as development partner to deliver transformational change at Perceval House, providing new Council offices, a library and a customer service centre alongside 500 new mixed tenure homes, 50% of which will be affordable.

vistrypartnerships.co.uk

On 3rd January 2020, Galliford Try Partnerships officially became part of the Vistry Group, assuming a new name: Vistry Partnerships.

”

Lights, Camera, Action… Ealing! With its iconic film and television studios, a live music venue that launched a golden generation of British rock stars including The Rolling Stones and The Who, and one of Europe’s largest amateur theatres, Ealing has a cultural history to be proud of. Today, with St George’s Filmworks and Dickens Yard developments, a buzzing arts-infused student population and the emergence of Ealing’s cultural quarter, this revitalised town centre looks set to become one of the best places to live, work and play in London. Sue Hill finds out more about Ealing’s cultural history, talent and its creative future….

Top: Fireworks at the Ealing Cricket Club Centre: Ealing’s film-themed Ibis hotel Below: Questor Theatre’s production of ‘1984’

“Our festivals are a huge part of Ealing during the summer and attract visitors from all over London and beyond.” Lucy Taylor, Ealing Council

Culture on every Ealing corner

here’s no doubt about it - Ealing is in the midst of exciting changes and is embarking on a new era in its cultural history. This leafy corner of west London is well known as the birthplace of British film, with Ealing Studios having produced classic comedies such as The Ladykillers, The Lavender Hill Mob and Kind Hearts and Coronets along with 21st century box office hits including Harry Potter, The King’s Speech and Downton Abbey. So it is no surprise, given its filmmaking legacy, that at the very heart of Ealing’s new cultural quarter is the St George Filmworks development. The two-acre site, which incorporates the old Empire cinema’s Art Deco facade and features a state-of-the-art eight-screen Picturehouse cinema, will provide 200 new apartments arranged around a new piazza starring lifestyle restaurants and retail. Taking inspiration from the glamour of the roaring twenties, the landmark development will also create new connections to link and join the park to the high street and Bond Street and is just a short distance from Ealing’s iconic film studios. The beautifully landscaped Walpole Park, with its newly renovated Grade I-listed Pitzhanger Manor and Gallery, is seen as a jewel in Ealing’s crown and already hosts some of London’s biggest festivals every summer. The grounds, with its ornamental pond and walled garden, have hosted the annual comedy, blues and jazz festivals for decades and are a big part of Ealing’s offering over the summer months. It’s an area that Ealing’s Director of growth and sustainability, Lucy Taylor is keen to build on. Lucy said: “Ealing’s St George Filmworks, which is brining a cinema back to Ealing, will be our cultural quarter gateway linking Walpole Park, the High Street and Bond Street. There’s also Ealing Studios and Pitzhanger Manor and our hidden gem, Questors Theatre, 90 years young, all within that area. One of our long-term aspirations is to give the theatre a high street frontage, which we’d love to be able to do through one of our development opportunities. It’s a fantastic community theatre we just need to show everybody where it is. “A priority for us is to create lots of cultural activities right across our town centre so we are able to offer something for everyone. The festivals are a huge part of Ealing during the summer and attract visitors from all over London and beyond. Our challenge now is to create more events that get people coming to Ealing all year round. It’s about coming up with exciting ways to use all of our new spaces. We’ve got the international food quarter at Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre, and just down the road you have Northfields Avenue, plus Ealing Common, Gunnersbury Park, where LoveBox is held, and Secret Cinema has held immersive events here too.” One area that Lucy has identified for future cultural events is the stylish Dickens Yard development with its new town square. The redevelopment of this area, which was successfully completed by St George, linked three of Ealing’s Victorian landmarks - the Town Hall, the Old Fire Station and the Parish Church of Christ the Saviour. It also created 700 new homes, shops and restaurants, making it a new dynamic area that complements the town centre.

“The square is the perfect setting for future cultural events,” said Lucy. “It’s already got some very good bars and restaurants as well as an independent wine shop from the Riding Wine Company. You can sit in and have a glass of wine before you buy a bottle. There’s also Navrtar, which is the country’s first free-roam virtual reality and bar experience. The idea is you can go play a game, hangout with your friends and have a few drinks afterwards.” The borough’s film heritage has also been picked up and used by international businesses to brand their products as ‘uniquely Ealing’. The Ibis hotel in the town centre opened to fanfare in 2018 featuring a unique film studio kit out including cinema-themed props and posters throughout.

Community at the heart of culture One business thriving in Dickens Yard is Reineta, a Spanish cafe-style restaurant with a menu full of fresh seasonal organic produce. The word ‘reineta’ translates as ‘pippin apple’ in Spanish. Owner Miguel Morales hopes his eclectic

calendar of Salsa dancers and Friday night dancing will bring Ealing’s diverse community together. “It really is a lovely environment,” Miguel said. “We give our space for free to local musicians, have workshops for the kids, and then there’s our salsa dancers. Friday nights are really family friendly and we see generations learning the moves. “We wanted to create a community feeling, to give the people of Ealing somewhere to spend their time. You might come in for a coffee and a grocery shop or a bite to eat with the kids. The fact that Dickens Yard is car free means that it’s a relaxing space for families. Then there’s the weekend when things get a bit livelier. We clear all the tables in the centre of the restaurant so that everyone can get up and dance.” Another part of the town centre’s cultural revamp is Ealing’s prestigious Grade II listed Town Hall. Steeped in character, plans are underway to turn the landmark building into a boutique hotel with conferencing, banqueting and hospitality facilities, a restaurant, bar and fitness centre. The council has teamed up with hotel developers Mastcraft who have a track

Clockwise from top right: St George’s Filmworks development; Ronnie Scotts at Ealing Summer Festivals; Reineta’s in Dickens Yard; UWL’s Student fashion show; Ealing Summer Festival; Navrtar at Dickens Yard

record in restoring and converting historic buildings into high quality, boutique hotels such as the Courthouse in Shoreditch. Ealing’s historic cricket club and grounds, which saw its first bowlers and batters in 1874, also has a special place in local people’s hearts for its spectacular community events nonemore so than its annual fireworks event which lights up the sky every 5 November. And what would be better than a night out at the nearby Questors Theatre, followed by dinner and drinks before going back to your hotel room – of which there is many a choice from Ibis to Premier Inn - for the night? Andrea Bath, Executive director of the theatre, is excited about the future of the neighbourhood. She said: “It’s all rather thrilling watching the changes that are happening around us. Ealing is a beautiful borough, there’s lots of greenery and it feels safe and welcoming. There’s a real buzz about the place and it’s encouraged us to do something too. We’ve got new seats in our 90-seat studio theatre, and a new rostrum. We’re also wanting to raise money to completely refurbish our 350-seat Judi Dench Playhouse.”

The theatre prides itself on being affordable, and puts on up to 20 shows a year, from modern comedies to the classics of British and world theatre, as well as touring companies visiting with their own productions. Its 1,200 members pay a small monthly contribution, giving them the opportunity to get involved in theatre life. Andrea said: “You can train to work in the box office, learn about being a set designer, a director or even an actor. And a lot of people involved in the theatre go on to work in the profession.” She added: “We have been a part of the community for nearly a century and pride ourselves on being affordable. You can come to a Saturday matinee with the kids, enjoy a date night or get a group together for a show on a Thursday night.”

A vibrant and safe cultural quarter Ealing was where in the 1960s Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Brian Jones first jammed together at the Ealing Club, giving birth to the Rolling Stones. The historic basement club, now called The Red Rooms, is still a live music venue today

“UWL’s Arts Festival was a real celebration of our students’ talent.” Sara Raybould, UWL

“It’s rather thrilling watching the changes in Ealing... there’s a buzz about the place.”

Student buzz

2pm

Be a culture vulture at Sir John Soane’s Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery

4pm

Take in the quirky independent stores along Bond Street and the awardwinning Pitshanger Lane High Street

There’s a huge student population in Ealing with the University of West London (UWL) and West London College as well as a number of other further and higher education institutions on Ealing’s doorstep. Last year UWL purchased Ealing-based Drama Studio London. Established over 50 years ago, and counting Emily Watson and Forest Whitaker as alumni, it has an established reputation in the acting world. Sara Raybould, the university’s pro vice-chancellor of student experience, said: “Purchasing Drama Studio London shows our commitment to arts in the area. We are also the main sponsor for the Ealing Music and Film Festival which runs every February around Valentine’s Day.” “We are incredibly proud of our achievements but it’s also about the part we play in the local community. And anything that allows our students to feel a part of the greater community will always be a good thing. Ealing is a hive of activity and that’s where the idea behind Ealing Music and Film Festival came from, so we could showcase the wonderful work of the arts.” The university also curates the London College of Music Live programme, offering everything from classical jazz to pop and music technology as well as cutting-edge dramas. It also showcases its next generation of creative talent during its Arts Festival, when industry professionals, alumni and residents descend on its Ealing site to enjoy film screenings, exhibitions and performances from graduating students. In 2019, the festival featured work from students from the London College of Music and the London School of Film, Media and Design, a high-energy fashion show, and a two-hour celebration of music and performance closed the second night. Sara added: “The festival was a real celebration of our students’ creative talent, from fashion design to musical theatre. Every year our graduates get better and better; the quality on show was exceptional.” Creative success runs through the university’s DNA; - William Lloyd Webber, Andrew’s father, was a former principal while Pete Townsend, Ronnie Wood and Freddie Mercury are all alumni of the university. In 2018, two former UWL graduates, producer Rebecca Harris and assistant director Tom Turner, worked on ‘The Silent Child’ which won the Oscar for Live Action Short Film.

6pm

Enjoy dinner and a cocktail at Soane’s Kitchen

The new night time

8pm

It’s playtime at Questors Theatre

Andrea Bath, Questors Theatre and the council are keen to attract even more music lovers to the borough. “A lot of young professionals who live in the borough leave the area to go on a night out,” explains Lucy. “We’re keen to make the most of what we’ve got so we can attract people from outside the borough and offer those that live here a really good night out.” One new opportunity already on the horizon is the exciting possibilities surrounding a former lap dancing club. The council was instrumental in helping to shut it down and are now looking at alternative leisure ideas for the space. Lucy said: “Having a lap dancing venue is not the message we want to send out about our town, but

A perfect day out in Ealing 9am 11am 12noon

10pm

now we have this great space that could become another nightclub or music venue. Or it could be turned into something completely different like a bowling alley or some other leisure facility, similar to the Arch climbing wall in Acton.”

Check into an Ealing-cinema themed room at the Ibis hotel Stop by Reineta’s for a pick me up brunch Meander through the Edwardian landscaped Walpole Park

Time for a night cap at one of the bars at Dickens Yard

With such a bustling student population, as well as the need to offer young professionals a night out on their doorstep, Ealing Council is looking at a new night time economy strategy which is also linked to its alcohol licensing policy. Lucy explains: “We used to have a problem in the early 2000s with under-age drinking and premises not abiding by our licensing laws. But the town centre has changed and when you look

“Ealing’s Filmworks ...will be our cultural quarter gateway.” Lucy Taylor, Ealing Council at the different types of places that are now emerging that sell alcohol, most of them have a broad food offering too. Is it a pub, a wine bar, or restaurant? As places have adapted, we now have venues, particularly in Dickens Yard that cater for customers throughout the day and evening. I believe that makes going out more vibrant but also safer. So, we are looking at changing our licensing laws to make it easier for new night time offerings that are well managed. “We have got lots of good opportunities to change things as we plan the cultural future of Ealing. What we want is to make Ealing one of the best places in London for people to live, work and play. And with Filmworks soon to open it’s all heading in the right direction.”

Sir Mick Jagger famously sang the lyrics ‘wild horses couldn’t drag me away’ and it looks like many will get the exact same feeling when they visit Ealing.

The Downton Abbey film 2019 which was part filmed at Ealing Studios.

UWL graduates Rebecca Harris and Ton Turner and their Oscar-winning film ‘The Silent Child’.

“Ealing has a thriving film industry and heritage. Our world-famous film studios produce hits such as Downton Abbey, and UWL’s film students created an Oscar-winning film, The Silent Child. ” Ealing In London

The car isn’t king

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It’s a conundrum that all placemakers will face at one time or another – how do you turn a place from somewhere you only travel through into a dwell destination in its own right? A new joint initiative, Act-On, between Ealing Council and private sector partners is tackling this challenege head on in North Acton. Robin Das reports.

n “Leadville’, Edward Platt’s biography of the A40, which slices through North Acton, ‘the author honed-in on this unloved highway to tell the post-war story of the residents who lived either side of it at a time when the nation was in love with the motor car. Holding his copy aloft at his roundtable introduction, Cllr Julian Bell noted how Platt’s beautifully compelling story recalls a time when “the car became king.” Today’s placemakers are dedicated to the exact opposite of their predecessors’ intentions (the council is committed to getting 80% of short-hop trips by walking, cycling or public transport). As Julian explained: “we want to get a pedestrian link over the A40, because the road is hostile to pedestrians. Today, North Acton is a place you go through, you don’t come to and we are about changing that; we want to make the pedestrian and cyclist king.” Ealing Council is ambitious for North Acton and considers how tall buildings can bring benefits. Julian explains: “Height allows us to create more public space at the bases and on ground floors…to create places for people to dwell. Already, we have removed the old Esso petrol station – another symbol of the car – and are replacing this with a fantastic, new public square*.”

The challenge North Acton has a lot in common with other predominantly commercial areas of London, which until recently lacked that pulsating heart. King’s Cross Coal Drop Yard, Paddington Basin and Westferry Circus are now attracting mixedgenerational, diverse groups of visitors, wowed by free concerts, open-air spaces and waterside attractions. Could North Acton with its easy proximity to central London, talented Park Royal micro businesses, young renter base and white-collar businesses, replicate something similar on our doorstep?

Then and now North Acton is synonymous with Park Royal – the largest business park in Europe with more than 2,000 businesses, 500 plus of which are based in Ealing

borough, and the OPDC development area. The area is well served by transport connections; Acton mainline will become an Elizabeth line station connecting to Heathrow and the city and North Acton station is on the central line. The A40 cuts through the middle. Lucy Taylor, Director of growth and sustainability, recalled ten years ago how staff working in the area and businesses had concerns about how few amenities there were for them. “That was a detriment to the area’s businesses; it was simply not performing for Park Royal, a place that has more than 40,000 jobs.”

“North Acton is a place you don’t come to… and we are about changing that - we want to make the pedestrian and cyclist king.” Cllr Julian Bell, Leader of Ealing Council With GLA funding, key areas were identified for improvement, such as a new public square at North Acton station. “It’s important to plan the infrastructure up front to support new development.” However, she felt that “North Acton is a bit of an island with the A40 cutting it off from Acton, how do people integrate into it – and how does North Acton integrate into Park Royal?” Turning to the challenge of housebuilding, Tony Clements, Executive director of place, pointed out. “We want inclusive growth – improving residents’ lives, access to jobs and affordable housing – we are committed to getting 2,500 genuinely affordable homes built for people on moderate or low incomes. “Today Ealing Council is back in business as a house-builder and developer, with the largest house-building programme in London. Our current £1billion estate regeneration programme reflects that things could have been done better by post-war administrations – but we are now leading the home-building agenda and want other partners who share our vision to contribute to our ambitious programme.”

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A renewed collective sense of purpose is needed to capitalise on the work begun. Ealing Council is redrafting its local plan and a North Acton strategy will inform that. Lucy explained that naturally developments are at different stages - it is a dynamic live environment. “The council is limited in what it can do on its own, so we have to think collectively about change,” she said. Setting out his stall, Gary Sacks, CEO of City & Docklands, explained that it has been based in North Acton for 18 years. They are now constructing the 42-storey One West Point with 578 homes and a community hub and mixed-use ground floor. He said: “We view the area as being incredibly strong with a tremendous amount of potential – and having great value when compared to say, Canary Wharf.”

“We view North Acton as being an incredibly strong area with a tremendous amount of potential.” Gary Sacks, CEO, City and Docklands Gary added that he felt that the private sector needed to tackle the immediate look and feel of the area. “We have to look at the place long-term with a joined-up approach to create a good place to live. We’ve got the buildings done but we need everything that goes with that – a welcoming concierge, additional security and cleaning of the area to make our residents feel safer and happier. Together, we can take the initiative by putting some money into a pot – like a miniestate service charge - to tackle these problems.”

A culinary quarter From Brixton’s food market to Elephant and Castle’s Mercato Metropolitano, food start-ups have brought kudos to many an under the radar spot. Park Royal is a food production hothouse and manufactures a third of all food consumed in London every day.

“Today Ealing Council is back in business as a house-builder and developer, with the largest house-building programme in London.” Tony Clements, Executive director of Place, Ealing Council Joe and Seph’s gourmet popcorn, Lola’s Cupcakes, Cote Brassiere, and patisserie Paul, are just some of the brands based on site. Nimesh Sachdev, director from Dephna Group, is a company that began in Park Royal converting warehouses into small kitchen units aimed at food and beverage businesses. He explained: “Primarily we target central production units, manufacturers, and small businesses producing everything from desserts to doggy biscuits.” Dephna’s idea is to create a ‘culinary quarter’ on the ground floor of their planned building which could promote many of the small food and drink businesses housed in Dephna’s kitchens as well as independents from outside the area. Nimesh explained: “We have so many food producers who are looking for a route to market with all these fabulous products, but they don’t have anywhere to showcase them. “What we want to do is create active frontage for lots of businesses to showcase their products and this could become a hub of food and enterprise, bringing vibrancy and life to our space.” A culinary food quarter could potentially activate the wider area. Tom Cardis of the OPDC pointed out how at Vauxhall Nine Elms what helped many of the developers was guidance from the local authority looking at building materials and public realm. He elaborated: “You often get different developers using varying types of material or signage, and it doesn’t read across as one place. We are introducing public realm strategies to get some consistency across place.”

Cllr Julian Bell opening the North Acton placemaking roundtable

“We have so many food producers… North Acton could become a hub of food and enterprise, bringing vibrancy and life to our space.” Nimesh Sachdev, Dephna Group

View of City and Dockland’s One West Point development site

The North Acton placemaking roundtable

Community Spirit Feeling positive about your neighbourhood is essential to creating and keeping a thriving, cohesive community. The Collective manage the UK’s largest co-living space in a former office block opened in 2015 fronting the Grand Union Canal. Often portrayed as a ‘halls of residence for millennials’, it has a cosharing/living/work philosophy. Jermaine Browne, site manager, believes that connecting with the wider community is vital. “How do you make spaces useable and open to the local community?” At a development in Canary Wharf the Collective work with charities and social groups to open-up a space for free to youngsters and young mums’ groups. At another site the company’s swimming pool is available for older people’s groups. Jermaine believes the benefits are boosting the community’s confidence, health and are a stepping stone to social mobility. “If you want successful placemaking you have to have community buy-in and the only way you get that is to make these places accessible to the community from the start and bringing people into the process.” Steve Skuse, from Catalyst Housing Association, has a development in planning at Friary Park at a proposed 24 storeys at its highest point, neighbouring North Acton. “Catalyst was founded on building communities. Our development is higher density and we require a different approach to how people live in them.” Steve believed that the cross-partnership approach will help new developments, like Friary Park, get the retail offering right as it is

developing some active frontage space on the development. Gary Sacks gave an example of already catering to the changing demographics of the area. “We have a good understanding of what retailers are here and what is needed. We have a Chinese supermarket moving into one of our sites, which will cater for the increasing numbers of students from the far east relocating here.”

Scaling Up Imperial College London has campuses in South Kensington and White City and has student accommodation developments at the Woodward Buildings and on Wales Farm Road in North Acton. Imperial is ranked as one of the best universities in the world and one of its key specialisms is its tech development. Annually Imperial has around 165 tech start-ups. John Anderson, Imperial’s director of financial strategy, believes that North Acton is the one area in London that has the space to grow Imperial’s tech incubators. “At the moment when startups scale up they leave for Oxford or Cambridge. But North Acton could be a WestTech ‘ideas generator. (In London) we want to compete with true innovation areas such as Silicon Valley.”

“If you want successful placemaking you have to have community buy-in.” Jermaine Browne, The Collective What Imperial doesn’t want to see is North Acton becoming a victim of its own success. While Carphone Warehouse’s presence, Imperial’s tenant, is vital to the area’s economic stability, the risk is if small start-ups are priced out. “I don’t want to see what happened in Kings Cross with a Google, where everything is £85sq ft and start-ups are pushed away,” he added. John drew comparisons between White City a decade ago and North Acton today and that we could learn lessons from there. The effects of the

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North Acton station square – which is currently being completed (February 2020)

“Good access to North Acton station is fundamental to getting people to use public transport.” Lucy Taylor, Director of growth and sustainability BBC moving north from White City and the creativity and dynamism that went with it and the need to reinvent. “But it was a mistake not to rebrand as White City and lose the commonality of place,” he said. Even today after significant area investment it is a challenge to get the anchor tenants who he says will choose, “Paddington over White City”. Two areas that John identifies as North Acton USPs are Dephna’s ‘food quarter’ concept and Biomedicine. “Take entrepreneurs out of dark kitchens and turn them into front-facing activity – that’s an authentic, organic model of innovation.” The Biomedicine sector, that Imperial has a strong track research record in, could form “an arc from Park Royal to North Acton.”

On the move Lucy Taylor highlighted that there is an issue with the lack of step-free access at North Acton station. “There is frequent overcrowding and the station could close temporarily at peak times. Good station access is fundamental to getting people to use public transport.” It was noted

that when the Elizabeth line arrives it will relieve pressure on North Acton but despite this there was unanimity from delegates to lobby TFL to secure funding for further North Acton station upgrades. With the new North Acton town square complete by the end of 2019, the group agreed that could be a moment to activate the area. Brompton Bikes, based in Greenford, will have a hub on the square and there is potential to activate retail units or to have pop ups – the site has planning consent - in repurposed shipping units. The transport strategy also needs to look at possibilities for canal use – which has played a real part in the regeneration of Paddington Basin. “(The canal) is underutilised yet it’s our coastline and it is a cheap means of transport,” said Gary Sacks. While the ownership of it is complicated Tom Cardis added that the OPDC were looking at it as part of their strategy. The goal the group has given itself, as Julian emphasised, is to create a place where people want to be. “That’s the challenge, but we have the building blocks in place to do it.”

“North Acton could be a WestTech ideas generator.” John Anderson, Director, Imperial College London

Progress on the Act-On placemaking initiative: •

a North Acton working group of landowners, developers and the council has been established;

•

major North Acton stakeholders have agreed a voluntary levy to for immediate improvements such as street cleaning and security;

•

North Acton station square opened on time at Christmas 2019 and a sub group are planning an open event in the spring.

A new brand identity for the area has been launched - ‘Act-On’. Follow www.ealinginlondon.com for more updates.

Around the Ealing In London North Acton roundtable sat: John Anderson

Imperial College

Fred Pilbrow

Pilbrow & Partners

Steve Barton

Ealing Council

Nimesh Sachdev

Dephna Group

Cllr Julian Bell

Ealing Council

Gary Sacks

City & Docklands

Jermaine Browne

The Collective

Carol Sam

Ealing Council

Iain Buzza

Savills Planning

David Scourfield

Ealing Council

Tom Cardis

OPDC

Alice Sewell

Imperial College

Tony Clements

Ealing Council

Tony Singh

Ealing Council

Chris Cole

Ealing Council

Steve Skuse

Catalyst

Alex Jackson

Ealing Council

Lucy Taylor

Ealing Council

Philip Jenkins

Catalyst

Taco Van Hesuden

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Building a Future With the launch of the Mayor of London’s new approach to increasing diversity in the infrastructure industry, Robin Das looks at some of the initiatives already taking place in Ealing to encourage more youngsters and women into construction.

lad head to toe in white overalls with trademark high-vis vests, 25 Year 9 and 10 students are scrabbling about on a concrete floor busy mixing mortar and bedding in bricks, competing to create the perfect wall and be crowned Berkeley Homes’ construction king or queen. It is all part of a school’s Construction Challenge day at the West London Construction Academy (WLCA), delivered in partnership by Berkeley and West London College. Situated on Berkeley’s 88-acre Southall Waterside development, the WLCA is a state-of-the-art facility aimed at changing perceptions towards the construction industry and training the next generation of leaders in the industry. The building industry is facing a challenge when it comes to recruiting skilled roles at many levels. New government house building targets mean that thousands of new homes and developments need to get off the ground within the next 12 months. However, the construction industry has traditionally struggled to recruit and retain apprentices, and there are misconceptions among young people about what the sector has to offer. To address this, the Mayor of London has launched new initiatives, including better mentoring, work placements and promotion in schools, via his London Enterprise Adviser Network, of construction as a career to encourage more diversity into the industry.

Bricklaying, Construction Challenge event Southall Waterside

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“The academy is all about up-skilling and making sure that the training is relevant to a job in construction - this makes the graduates more employable.” Bruce Strong, Berkeley West Thames

The ‘by industry, for industry’ training curriculum provided at the academy was carefully crafted by Berkeley, West London College and trade partners to ensure students are work-ready at the end of their courses. Traditionally, students would learn the fundamentals of the building trade in a classroom, but with the academy on a live construction site, students get hands-on experience in the trades. The WLCA opened in October 2018 and is one of the Mayor of London’s seven construction hubs spread across the capital. It provides courses such as bricklaying, plastering, drylining, carpentry and kitchen fitting. Having an academy on-site means there is greater input from Berkeley’s sub-contractors, which gives the training more depth and variety. Bruce Strong, Commercial development director, Berkeley West Thames, said: “We have paid particular attention to ensuring students not only receive the curriculum-based skills and training they require, but also leave the academy feeling confident and ready to take on the world of work. It’s

all about up-skilling and making sure that the training is relevant to a job in construction and that the curriculum reflects what the trades need. This ultimately makes the academy’s graduates more employable.” Technology is also reconfiguring the way that traditional training and learning is delivered. Bruce says: “We are looking at how we introduce virtual reality to the facility and courses - technology that young people enjoy and are comfortable using. For example, students will be able to start off learning how to drive a dump truck in a VR pod simulator – which saves on diesel emissions and is safer.” From day one, all apprentices receive individual support from business champions and mentors ensuring their work is measured and evaluated and that the right support is put in place as they progress. Berkeley also host regular events at the academy including ‘have-ago’ days, providing ‘tasters’ of what a career in construction involves; an annual Construction Challenge with local schools, giving pupils the chance

to get to grips with a host of new skills while working in teams; and open doors events for the public to allow people to come and have a look at the site and how it works. Bruce adds: “It’s important to educate and inspire the next generation. That’s why we see a real value in speaking to local schools and inviting young people in to see the amazing facilities up close. This can often be the first step in encouraging people to embark on a rewarding career in the industry”. Diversity is also an issue as only around 10% of the construction industry workforce is female. To attract more women into the industry, Berkeley and West London College teamed up last summer to run a Women Into Construction four-week training programme at the academy. Participants received industry insight into the vast career options available and hands-on experience through a two-week work placement. In order to be work-ready, the attendees completed the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS), an essential qualification for working in the

Construction Challenge event at Southall Waterside

Angela Ramsay, Women Into Construction graduate

“If you had told me six months ago that I would be working in construction, I would have laughed – construction seemed male dominated.” Angela Ramsay now employed as an apprentice plumber on Berkeley sites

sector, and a NCFE Certificate Level 1 in employability skills. One of the perceived barriers to women entering the construction industry is issues around childcare, so support for returning to work and childcare was provided. Angela Ramsay, from Southall, attended the scheme. She said: “I worked in retail before taking part in the Women Into Construction programme. If you had told me six months ago that I would be working in construction, I would have laughed – construction seemed male dominated, so I didn’t think there would be a role for me. But I just thought ‘why not?’ and…I am now in a job where I do something different every day and everyone is really friendly!” Angela tried her hand at plumbing with H2O Plumbing Services and is now employed by them as one of more than 750 apprentices working on Berkeley sites. Over the last decade, apprenticeships have become the go-to route for companies looking to attract and upskill young people and, since 2017, adults. In Ealing there are estimated to be around 90 apprentices working for the local authority and the construction industry in the borough. All employers who have an annual staff bill of more than £3 million must pay an apprenticeship levy of 0.5%

“By using the apprenticeship levy, Ealing Council is able to support the demand for skilled workers in construction.” Vanita Nicholls, Ealing Council of their total wage bill. Under a new regulation, Ealing Council can gift the levy back to certain employers to pay for apprenticeship training. The amount that can be transferred is up to 25% of the council’s total annual levy contributions, provided the employer is not transferring any levy funding that they may have. One of the council’s first proposals has been to use the levy to provide funding for four carpentry apprenticeships which will each be worth £12,000. Vanita Nicholls, the council’s Apprenticeship manager, said: “By using this new initiative, Ealing Council is able to support the demand for skilled workers in this sector and it was a logical choice for us to work with an

organisation that trains our residents on development sites in the borough.” Kuba* is an apprentice working for a local training provider and his apprenticeship is being paid for through the levy. He said: “I have started my Level 3 plumbing apprenticeship and I really enjoy my job. Being an apprentice gives me a lot of confidence and I like learning new skills and meeting new people.” Launching his new initiative to encourage more diversity into the trades, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’m clear that your background should never be a barrier to what you can achieve and I’m determined to do all I can to help London’s best and brightest make use of their skills across this important field.” One pupil at Berkeley’s construction challenge day certainly could be said to have heard his message: “I enjoyed bricklaying as it felt nice to actually build something and see the end result of your work.”

For more information visit: www.ealing.gov.uk/apprenticeships www.women-into-construction.org www.berkeleygroup.co.uk * Name has been changed.

Ealing In London 2020 Sponsors’ Page We would like to thank all our 2020 partners for their continued support of Ealing In London at the start of this new decade of growth and opportunity in the London Borough of Ealing. Ealing In London’s objective is to encourage inward investment into the borough to help ensure Ealing becomes the best possible place to live, work and enjoy for all. Ealing In London works closely with all our supporters throughout the year via panel discussions, debates, conferences, events and placemaking initiatives. These partnerships enable us to grow the borough, attract new businesses, market our opportunities to the right potential clients and promote Ealing’s values of diversity, inclusivity, sustainability and community building. If you are interested in becoming an Ealing In London sponsor or advertiser and would like to find out more about the work of Ealing In London, then please contact Robin Das or Iesha Anastasiou on 020 8825 9046 or via our contact page on www.ealinginlondon.com For more information about our above sponsors, please visit our dedicated sponsors’ page at www.ealinginlondon.com

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