EALING IN LONDON / Issue 9 / 2018

The regeneration magazine for the London borough of Ealing / Issue 9 / 2018

Talkin’ About Regeneration Ealing’s social housing revolution

Ealing’s Alchemists Why micro-brewers are turning west

The Ealing In London Debate The challenges facing place-makers in Ealing

Southall Sizzles Why all eyes are on this hotspot

S T G E O RG E P RO U D LY P R E S E N T S

EALING’S THRILLING NEW LIFESTYLE DESTINATION Filmworks is set to transform Ealing town centre, unveiling a stunning collection of new homes and a spectacular 8-screen Picturehouse cinema. It will also welcome new public and commercial spaces including a central piazza surrounded by an enticing mix of shops, restaurants and bars, with Planet Organic and Vapiano restaurant the first to arrive.

0208 5357 007 www.filmworks-ealing.co.uk

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

Proud Proud to be to abe member a member of the of the Berkeley Berkeley Group Group of companies of companies Proud to be a member of the Illustration is for artistic purposes only.

Berkeley Group of companies

WEST LONDON’S NEW VIBRANT VILLAGE REGISTER YOUR INTEREST STUDIOS, SUITES, 1, 2 & 3 BEDROOM APARTMENTS

southallwaterside.co.uk

Heathrow 8 mins

Southall

Ealing Broadway 6 mins

Southall Waterside is one of London’s most significant regeneration projects.

Adjoining 90 acres of country park and situated along the banks of the Grand Union Canal, Southall Waterside is a place of gardens, parks, trees and water. Shopping and restaurants, art and entertainment, cafés and culture.

Perfectly placed for all that London has to offer, Southall Waterside is located in one of West London’s most up and coming commuter belts.

Bond St 17 mins

Computer Generated Image of Southall Waterside, indicative only. All journey times are sourced from crossrail.co.uk. ©Hunter for Berkeley Homes

Liverpool St 24 mins

Canary Wharf 31 mins

Woolwich 39 mins

GREYSTAR GREENFORD GREYSTAR IS A WORLD-LEADING RESIDENTIAL OPERATOR WITH OVER 25 YEARS OF INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN DELIVERING AND MANAGING SUCCESSFUL RENTAL APARTMENT COMMUNITIES. WE INVEST IN OUR DEVELOPMENTS FOR THE LONG TERM AND ARE COMMITTED TO CREATING HIGH-QUALITY, WELL-MANAGED NEIGHBOURHOODS. THE PLACE • The UK’s largest purpose-designed ‘Build to Rent’ scheme to date • A vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood on the banks of the historic Grand Union canal • The result of extensive consultation with LB Ealing, the Greater London Authority, local businesses, residents, and other stakeholders • A revitalised place, bringing the currently derelict 20.3-acre site back to life • A model of modern canalside living in the heart of Greenford THE HOMES • Approximately 2,000 new homes across seven main buildings, with on-site management • Approximately 75% will be available for rent from Greystar, with the rest for sale • A range of apartment types from studios to 3 bedroom homes • Resident amenities including courtyard gardens, gyms, roof terraces and club rooms • A genuinely tenure-blind neighbourhood, including discount market rent and shared ownership homes OTHER FEATURES & AMENITIES • A wealth of new amenities for residents and the local community alike • Local shops and workspaces, a supermarket, restaurants, cafes, public gym and offices • Attractive, curated public open spaces, including a landmark central square • New connections through Greenford, including the reopening of Berkeley Avenue • A new pedestrian bridge over the Grand Union Canal • A new two form entry primary school and accommodation for a new on-site healthcare centre • The creation of around 1,200 onsite jobs beyond the construction phase

Stay up to date at www.greystar-greenford.co.uk

Welcome to Ealing in London Welcome to the 2018 edition of Ealing In London. The next 12 months are pivotal for us as we edge ever closer to Crossrail arriving, making Ealing the capital’s best connected Crossrail borough. Work will also be underway on our first new cinema since the 1930s, St George’s Filmworks Ealing.

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Ealing Mapped

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Climbing Ealing’s Social Enterprise Ladder

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Development Spotlights Filmworks & Dickens Yard Ealing In London Debate Southall Sunshine Southall Spotlights Talkin’ About Regeneration Ealing’s Alchemists Why Ealing?

Church Life Cooking with Brilliance Ealing In London Opportunities

Ealing In London Sponsors

The fruition of these schemes will make Ealing one of the go-to destinations in London, not my words but those of the Evening Standard who predict that Crossrail “will put Ealing in a position to rival every other London borough for connectivity.” But we are more than just bricks, mortar and track.

Over the following pages are features that celebrate some of our fantastic town centres - Southall and Acton. These are true neighbourhoods, in the best sense of the word. Here family run businesses that have stood the test of time gently rub shoulders with new ones. I’m also very proud of how our different ethnic groups co-exist together – something that Diwali makes me very aware of when our religious leaders come together for the celebration.

This is what makes Ealing such a stand-out area to invest and prosper in that people have been drawn here by the borough’s tolerance and inclusivity – and thrive as a result.

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Southall in particular has tremendous unrealised development potential and our feature looks at some of the areas where we will see real growth and change over the next decade - Southall Waterside, the old Honey Monster Factory site and the transformation of the existing town centre. The time is right to see what opportunities this buzzing multi-ethnic area has to offer.

We also take an in-depth look at what we have achieved working with our development partners in regenerating our estates. Together we have transformed some from virtual nogo zones into some of London’s most sought after new residential quarters – such as Acton Gardens.

If you too are keen to discover more about our amazing borough - whether it be to invest in, work or do business come and talk to us and discover why west is definitely best.

Cllr Julian Bell Leader of Ealing Council

credits Editor: Robin Das

Email: dasr@ealing.gov.uk Editorial team: Iesha Anastasiou, Andy Mahony, Carla Passino, Paul Shearer Produced by: Ealing In London

Designed by: Splash Creative

Images: Panayiotis Sinnos Ealing Corporate Communications Unit Dr Jonathan Oates Brompton Bicycles Weird Beard Brewery Lucy Do Crossrail Berkeley Group

Catalyst Housing Association Robin Das John Sturrock Dipna Anand CEG Galliard Mark Isles Stitch Architects

Printed by PrintHouse Corporation, London, NW10 6ST, 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 @EalingInLondon2018 © LBE. 2018. 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.

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Ealing Mapped The key developments in the pipeline across the London Borough of Ealing

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1. Copley Estate p35

northolt

2. Dickens Yard p15 3. Ealing Broadway Centre p52

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4. Ealing Filmworks p12 5. Ealing Town Hall 6. Greenford Green p11 7. Green Man Lane Estate p51 8. Havelock Estate p34

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9. Honey Monster Site, Southall p31 10. Iceland site, Southall p64 11. Imperial College site – 1 Portal Way p70 12. Morrisons site, Acton High Street p63 13. Office Block, 52-58 Uxbridge Rd p10

elizabeth line (crossrail)

southall

14. The Oaks, Acton High Street p57 15. Old Acton Library p63 16. Old Oak and Park Royal development 17. Perceval House p8

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towards reading & heathrow

southall

18. Portal West – 6 Portal Way 19. 301 Ruislip Road, Greenford

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20. Sandringham Mews p64 21. Acton Gardens p37 22. Southall Gateway p30

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23. Southall Manor House p32 24. Southall Waterside p33 25. St Bernard’s Gate p9 26. 104 Broadway p11 27. Westgate House p8

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elizabeth line (Crossrail)

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Development Spotlights 17

New Civic Centre Plans

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KEY DATE: CIVIC CENTRE COMPLETION 2022

and residential units will offset the cost of building the new headquarters. In addition, the council is expected to benefit from ongoing savings from running a smaller office building.

To construct the new civic centre, the plans set out to firstly demolish the front of Perceval House on Uxbridge Road. Staff will then move into the rear of the building and to other council properties, while the new offices are constructed in the space left by the removal of the front section. At the same time, work will commence on building the new homes at the back of the site.

Once the new building is finished in 2022, staff will move into their new, smaller headquarters. The developer will then demolish the remainder of Perceval House and the space will be developed for residential units.

aling Council plans to redevelop its 1.27 hectare site of its main office building in Ealing Broadway with a new civic centre and affordable housing.

Galliford Try has been appointed as the council’s preferred bidder for the scheme. Subject to planning permission, Galliford Try’s proposal involves building a new, smaller civic centre fronting Uxbridge Road to replace the existing Perceval House. It will include a modern customer services centre and a library, as well as a basement car park. On the rear of the site around 470 flats are planned for construction, 50 percent of which will be affordable, and four retail units.

The construction of the new civic centre comes at no cost to council tax payers as the receipts from the sale of the land

Visualisation of how the development could look – subject to planning permission.

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Westgate House DEVELOPER: GALLIARD HOMES

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alliard Homes, one of London’s leading developers, has bought a west London first to the market with its latest development, Westgate House, with amenities akin to a five-star hotel, whilst being affordable and appropriate for first time buyers looking to get on the housing ladder.

Located at Hangar Lane, Westgate House comprises 311 apartments and onsite amenities, including a leisure club with gym, sauna and steam rooms plus a cinema, private residents’ terrace and club lounge. Located around five minutes from Hanger Lane central line tube station, it will offer investors and young professionals an investment within enviably close proximity to Ealing Broadway and the City.

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Development Spotlights

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t Bernard’s Gate is a residential development next to Ealing General Hospital. Originally part of a Victorian asylum, St. Bernard’s Gate was predominantly made up of drab key-living accommodation for doctors and nurses. Catalyst bought the land from the West London Mental Health Trust and has increased the percentage of affordable housing from 30 percent to 51 percent. Once complete, the project will deliver 270 homes; 130 for market-sale, 118 shared-ownership and 22 for social rent.

St Bernard’s Gate KEY DATE: AUTUMN 2018 DEVELOPER: CATALYST

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Development Spotlights 13

Office Block Development 52-58 Uxbridge Road, W5 KEY DATE: DEMOLITION 2018 DEVELOPER: CEG

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EG has announced the launch of the Revolution at 52 Uxbridge Road.

Revolution is a 170,000 sq ft future-proofed, tech-enabled and amenity-rich office development.

Demolition of the existing building known as Exchange Plaza will begin in the New Year, paving the way for an office building to rival space in central London. This will capitalise on the arrival of the new Crossrail stations in the borough, providing connectivity to Bond Street in 11 minutes.

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Development Spotlights

104 Broadway

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KEY DATE: LAUNCH 2019 DEVELOPER: SO RESI

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o Resi Ealing is transforming an unused retail site in west Ealing into a vibrant residential environment providing high quality homes.

Launching in 2019 – So Resi will develop a contemporary collection of one, two and three bedroom apartments for shared ownership. The estimated completion is early 2020 and will feature more than 130 units with 116 shared ownership and 16 affordable rent all with a private balcony or terrace space.

The development is designed around an open courtyard of approximately 270sq m at podium level and includes children’s play areas. The development also offers two communal roof gardens with planting and trees creating social spaces and areas to enjoy.

Greenford Green

KEY DATE: BUILD COMMENCING 2018 DEVELOPER: GREYSTAR

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reystar is bringing a new rental development to Greenford, which will transform the former GSK site and derelict grade II listed Glaxo House building. This modern, canalside neighbourhood will provide homes along with shops, a supermarket, restaurants, cafés, leisure facilities and offices. Currently inaccessible to the public, the site will be reopened with new walkways and green open space which the local community will be able to enjoy. Land has been allocated for a two-form entry primary school and an NHSoperated healthcare centre.

On completion, there will be a total of 1,965 homes – comprising studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and threebedroom apartments across seven main buildings – with 1,439 available for rent and 526 for sale. Greystar will retain ownership of the site and manage the facilities on behalf of the residents. Planning permission was granted in early 2017 and demolition of the existing buildings on site has subsequently commenced, with the building of infrastructure commencing early in 2018.

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St George’s Filmworks and Dickens Yard

Filmworks Reimagining an Art Deco Classic

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Nearly 10 years after Ealing’s cinema closed, work is underway on the new Filmworks Ealing cinema site.

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ne of Ealing’s landmark cinemas, it originally opened in 1934 as the Forum Cinema designed by John Stanley Beard. Beard was also the architect for the now vanished Walpole Picture House in Bond Street, although the entrance arch remains in Mattock Lane. The classical colonnades and style of the frontage was a reaction to the modernistic craze of the 1930s.

Naturally, the inaugural film was an Ealing Studios flick – ‘Love, Life & Laughter’ starring Gracie Fields.

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The cinema, later renamed the Empire, closed after 74 years in 2008, and was demolished the following year – although the colonnades were preserved. Ealing has been without a mainstream cinema since – but in 2016 developers St George bought the site and work is now underway to create a brand new PictureHouse cinema centred around a new cultural quarter – with a blend of retail and dining venues. When the new Filmworks is ‘released’ it is likely to usher in a new era of movie going madness.

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Ealing’s Cinema History The original Ealing Film Studios is built

1902

Escape – the first film released as an Ealing Studios film

1910

1930

The first cinema in the borough opens – the Horn Lane Kinema in Acton

The peak year for cinemas in Ealing – 18 in total

1934

1938

The Empire Cinema in Ealing Broadway closes and is demolished

1947 to 1956

2008 to 2009

The Forum cinema is The Golden Era of built in a ‘quasi-Egyptian’ classic Ealing comedies style including The Lavender Hill Mob and The Ladykillers

Ealing Council is awarded a CPO to buy the Empire site – Ealing’s last cinema

2010 to 2015

2015

Part of Downton Abbey is filmed at the Ealing Studios

2016

Developers St George acquire the Filmworks site

coming soon to

ealing C e n t ra l P l a z a

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Regeneration of Perceval House

Proud Sponsors of Ealing in London We are the fastest growing regeneration company in the country, working with Registered Providers and Local Authorities to increase the supply of housing and help build sustainable communities.

gallifordtry.co.uk

St George’s Filmworks and Dickens Yard 2

Dickens Yard Ealing’s New Retail Destination St George are nearing completion of Dickens Yard, which will comprise 700 homes - 159 of which will be affordable - 105,000 sq ft of retail space and more than an acre of landscaped public realm including a new public square.

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lready in the region of 600 homes have been completed at Dickens Yard. The development has also contributed £3.65 million to expedite the delivery of social rented homes as part of the council’s estate regeneration programme. A further £7million in S106 contributions has been provided towards local public services and improvements to public spaces.

Now, exciting new retail names are opening up on the new pedestrianised route that connects to and opens up the area to a new town square and apartment block – named the Elizabeth Square and Elizabeth apartments in recognition of the Elizabeth line - and Christ the Saviour church.

Renown Charlotte’s W5 restaurant and cocktail bar, which has restaurants in Chiswick and Ealing Common, opened in the Old Stable Block in 2016, and is the first restaurant in Ealing to receive the Bib Gourmand award. Late in 2017, Tri Yoga opened up and getting ready to join it are Balans restaurant – known for its flagship branch in Soho, Gymbox, Gail’s Bakery, Kumon, Blo Bar hair and beauty salon, Jigsaw, Skinny Kitchen and Tonkotsu – a Japanese Ramen bar and restaurant.

Craig Carson, Managing Director, St George West London, said: “We are delighted to announce a further strong line-up of brands to open at Dickens Yard. The openings will be a great boost to the lifestyle mix on offer in Ealing and we look forward to making further announcements in the coming months.”

Alex Carr, Residential Development Partner at Knight Frank, commented: “These new signings are testament to the success of Dickens Yard as an exciting new lifestyle destination in west London.

“When looking at local residential values, average prices for homes within a 10-minute walk of Ealing Broadway station rose by 61% between July 2008 and the end of 2016 – compared to average house price growth of a 43% in Greater London over the same timeframe.”

As the Evening Standard speculated in October 2017, “There is no doubt that the impending transport upgrade will put Ealing in a position to rival pretty much every other London borough for connectivity, so residential developers are piling in to take full advantage of the district’s expanding appeal.”

Without doubt, Dickens Yard is set to be one of west London’s premier retail and residential destinations

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The Ealing In London Debate

Mind T the Gap What next for Ealing?

BY PAUL SHEARER

he 2017 Ealing in London round table debate between key members of the council and leading property industry figures was held in Ealing Studios in November. Provocatively titled Mind The Gap – a nod towards the increased expectations on councils in a time of austerity - ‘What next for Ealing?’ was the topic of conversation chaired by Pat Brown, Director of consultancy, Central and former vice chair of the London Mayor’s Design Advisory Group.

London is squeezed and will need extra accommodation; referring to this, Pat asked, “How do we design quality development and quality housing and infrastructure into London? We need homes and schools and places to shop and work, set within the context of a London we like the look of and neighbourhoods we can relate to which create opportunities for everyone. It is important to design intelligently in thinking about the community and how we integrate development.”

Crossrail – Springboard for Growth Ealing will boast five Crossrail stations by the end of 2018 – Acton, Ealing Broadway, West Ealing, Hanwell and Southall stretching across this west London suburb. The Elizabeth Line’s full service starts in 2019 when the borough will gain from radically reduced travel times into central London’s shopping, theatre and financial districts. Ealing has benefited from a decade long wave of regeneration especially in the east side of the borough in Ealing town centre and in Acton. Both Dickens Yard, a new residential, retail and leisure destination in Ealing and The Oaks, a development in Acton, are nearing completion.

Growing in a time of austerity Council leader, Julian Bell, began by reiterating his vision for the borough post Crossrail. “I see Ealing becoming an inner London borough for travel, but with an outer London quality of life,” he enthused.

Julian explained that the council’s growth

“We can achieve a higher density of “We need...neighbourhoods development in a broader area if we can we can relate to which create get the cycling infrastructure in place.” opportunities for everyone.”

Lucy Taylor, Ealing Council

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Pat Brown, Central

“I want to work with you to find and create new places – if anyone can do it, Ealing can.”

Cllr Julian Bell, Ealing Council James Pargeter, Greystar strategy has brought many benefits including increased revenue from the new housing as well as rising business rate revenue – both vital income for the council seeking to maintain services during challenging times.

A decade of steadily decreasing funding from central government has coincided with an inexorable rise in demand for council services. A growing younger population and a 30 per cent increase in the birth rate puts pressure on the education budget, while a huge growth in demand for social care for the elderly also creates a financial strain.

“Growing our business rate and council tax base is really critical,” said Julian.

“I want to work with you to find, and to create new places.” Housing that people can really afford is a vital part of the mix along with other intermediate products which allow key workers to live in the borough.’ These difficult financial storms are being grappled with across the country. ‘If anyone can do it, Ealing can,” said Julian.

Uncertainty Brexit adds uncertainty with the possible migration of both people and jobs and an unclear future of overseas investment into property and development. Crossrail’s impact is not yet determined and the new transport could potentially draw people out of the borough just as much as it can draw people in.

Lucy Taylor, Ealing’s Director for Regeneration and Planning, echoed the challenges that Ealing faces, praised the successes that Crossrail’s arrival had

already produced, and added a concern that the big increase in property prices has left home ownership unattainable for many, especially the young.

Collaboration, she felt, was the key to continued growth in Ealing.

“There is an inherent flexibility to the rental model...if you do it properly I think it can be a more longterm solution.”

James Pargeter, Greystar

Ambitious targets Recently the borough has been building an average of 1300 to 1400 homes a year of which 50 per cent is affordable.

The Greater London Authority’s (GLA) new target is for 2800 homes a year. “That is a massive challenge”, said Lucy “How can you help us to deliver that?” Suggesting that mixed use developments may be the way forward, she asked delegates to use their combined abilities to influence the policies of both the GLA and Homes England (formerly the Homes and Communities Agency) especially concerning restrictions placed on the use of employment land.

One housing size doesn’t fit all Different models of development are beginning to emerge. Galliard Homes has made studies of affordability, and with its Ealing development, Westgate House, claims a new solution – “Luxury living in west London at an affordable level,” says its website. In this former office building they are converting mostly to one bed and studio apartments but with the added attraction of a range of communal areas - spas, gyms, lounges and office space.

Although the interest in these apartments has mainly been from a younger generation Sue Cooper, Director of Business Development at Housing Association, Catalyst suggested that they would also be attractive to an older generation of downsizers who want to remain active.

“I was just thinking about what the baby boomers are looking for and this is an ideal solution,” commented Sue. Greystar is one of the largest private home rental companies in the world with over 420,000 homes under management. James Pargeter, Projects Director, explained that they are also focussed on a new kind of communal living with their mixed tenure development in Greenford. In the seven residential blocks they plan to offer a range of units at different rents, including some affordable, and some discounted at 70 – 80 per cent of market rent.

“There is an inherent flexibility to the rental model that doesn’t have all the transaction costs of buying and selling

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Regeneration of Perceval House site

TRANSFORMING EALING Providing agency, valuation, regeneration and development advice across the London Borough of Ealing.

Get in touch to find out more: Stephen Armitage – Director, Real Estate Advisory +44 (0)20 7198 2135 Neil Parlett – Director, Real Estate Advisory +44 (0)20 7198 2104

with stamp duty and all the rest of it,” said James. People can move within the development as circumstances change, either downsizing to a smaller unit or even dropping to a lower rental unit when tenancy agreements come to term. The need for more space as a family grows can also be accommodated within the scheme. “If you do this properly I think it can be a more long-term solution than some of the alternatives,” said James.

Damian Leydon, Operations Director from developer group Berkeley West Thames, commented that the Southall masterplan has also been looking at this new approach of full life living, which offers different units within the overall plan to allow people to move within the borough throughout their lives.

Land availability Addressing the future needs of the borough, Stephen Armitage from consultant agency, Lambert Smith Hampton, praised Ealing’s efforts to set up the working partnership with developers. Finding and acquiring sites is a challenge but perhaps a similar working partnership with other public bodies, such as the NHS and the education authority, which both have surplus land, would be very beneficial.

“There are big opportunities in and close to the borough that would enable volume development,” said Stephen.

David Baptiste, Ealing’s Head of Housing Development, pointed out that although there is pressure on land in Acton, Ealing and Southall, Northolt has extra space. Design studies for the area suggest a big opportunity for housing to be located there. Giving Northolt an identity and a sense of place could be the key to unlocking its potential. “Northolt doesn’t have any new transport options coming along but it has got a lot of land and a lot of opportunity,” says David.

schemes are available across London and a major part of the London Mayor’s strategy is to push for a healthier and cleaner London through cycling.

Safety is a concern following some tragic cycling road deaths and putting in cycle route infrastructure across the borough is a vital ingredient to make people feel safe and secure on their bike journeys. Damian Leydon described the efforts to include cycle routes in the Southall masterplan. An estimated 16,500 of Heathrow’s 76,000 strong workforce live within five km of the airport, many in Southall, and yet only around 800 travel by bicycle. Discussions with neighbouring borough Hillingdon were reported to have gone well, and it was acknowledged that a route through to Heathrow with a linking branch northwards into Northolt would be very welcome. The eastern end of the route still lacks connectivity into a broader network.

“Northolt... has got a lot of land and a lot of opportunity.”

Get on your Mobike

David Baptiste, Ealing Council

One newer transport initiative that has been introduced into Acton is a dockless bike hire scheme run by a Chinese company, Mobike. Initially launched with 750 specially designed bikes with GPS and proprietary smart-lock technology, Mobike enables users of the app to find a bike near them, reserve and unlock it, all using their smartphones. “We are now looking at rolling it out right across the borough because I want to get a lot of those one to two mile connecting journeys – between our town centres on a bike,” explained Julian Bell. Similar

“We can achieve a higher density of development in a broader area if we can get the cycling infrastructure in place,” commented Lucy Taylor.

Point to point car schemes were also discussed, where users do not have to return the car to the point of hire. Only wide acceptance of these schemes would make them practical and there are fears that such initiatives would take people away from public transport and cycling for rush hour commutes, although evidence from studies suggest otherwise. Car clubs reduce

car ownership and Rory O’Connor, Managing Director, O’Shea, remarked that they have reduced the numbers of car schemes in some of their developments to around 20 spaces for 300 units.

Finding the money Finance remained a concern. Developer groups have a responsibility to their shareholders and financial backers, and investors see property developments as high risk and expect high returns. Rising demands for affordable housing and high quality public realm in and around sites increase the pressure. The lack of availability and the high price of land available for regeneration is exacerbated by site speculators. “It’s the guy who is sitting on the land who is making most of the money for doing nowt,” claimed Rory.

Chancellor Philip Hammond announced a review into the practice of “landbanking” in his autumn budget statement along with other planning reforms and a £44 billion commitment to boost housing.

Jonathan Morgan, Galliard Homes 19

Proud to be associated with Ealing in London

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“We shouldn’t forget that we have absolutely got really good schools in Ealing - it’s a great selling point for the borough.”

Sue Cooper, Catalyst Housing Association

“I think the affordable private rented sector model has got to be the future for Ealing because it is quicker to build and become available to residents and secondly, more affordable for them as well,” said Julian.

The council established Broadway Living, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ealing Council, in 2014. An innovative and creative initiative to deliver homes across the borough, Broadway Living is an example of ‘municipal entrepreneurism’ and allows the council to borrow against its general fund rather than be restricted to the limits set by the government under the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) – (the chancellor also announced “A lifting of HRA caps in high demand areas”).

Through Broadway Living, the council is seeking to borrow around £165 million to build about 700 homes.

Nice day at the office With the government set to pilot 100 per cent business rates retention in London next year, keeping existing business in the borough as well as attracting new business is a vital part of Ealing’s sustained growth strategy. As tech start-ups are priced out of east London through rising office rents a variety of affordable office spaces would offer a relocation alternative. Ameer Mirza, from Kingmead Homes, whose first data centre is in Ealing, commented, “We have seen in our office sites that there is a lot of demand for office space in Ealing town centre”.

Jonathan Morgan from Galliard, spoke of the Honey Monster development, a 16 acre site in Southall on which it is seeking to make a good mix of commercial uses.

Small scale film production studios have created great interest, “including a visit from Hollywood production giant, Disney,” said Jonathan. The masterplan has generated concerns over GLA policy.

If the light industrial land must be retained for the same use, it may end up being a large automated warehouse with few jobs and a lot of robots. Industrial sheds place pressure on the road network with noise nuisance from delivery lorries impacting on nearby residential blocks.

“We have to ensure Ealing is a great place to work and live and there has to be great opportunities for people wanting to relocate from the centre of London.”

Stephen Welsh, Ealing BID

The night time is the right time Stephen Welsh, new to the job of managing Ealing’s Business Improvement District (BID), suggested, “We have to ensure Ealing is a great place to work and live and there has to be great opportunities for people wanting to relocate from the centre of London.” New work trends are emerging as the younger generation reject long commutes and long hours in a single office location. They want to work in a variety of spaces such as business hubs inside residential blocks and live work spaces. Both are popular alternatives to the traditional workspace environments.

A further incentive to the relocators is the vibrancy of a neighbourhood and the BID is keen to work with the council on making improvements to the night time economy of Ealing town centre.

Carol Sam, Regeneration Manager from the council, has been researching the cultural offer through focus group meetings with a wide cross section of age groups. A demand for venue space for events and concerts was a strong emerging theme, as was the possibility of using the borough’s fantastic green space and public realm for a wide variety of inclusive and diverse festivals.

Events in Ealing Existing Ealing highlights should also be trumpeted more widely such as the renowned comedy festival and the Hanwell Hootie, a free music festival that aims to bring live music back to the home of the legendary Marshall Amplification.

Sue Cooper, Business Development Director at Catalyst Housing Association, said that thinking creatively about workspace and art galleries and working with people who understand how those can be used effectively brings in a new energy. “One final thing we shouldn’t forget is that we have absolutely got really good schools in Ealing and it’s a great selling point for the borough.”

The debate concluded with a proposal to establish some smaller working groups to explore the potential of the borough town centres. Crossrail has provided a huge focus for development in the last decade.

The next decade needs to consolidate the great strides that have been made.

Paul Shearer is a property journalist, who has written extensively about London for The FT, The Times and has worked for property consultants GVA, on their ‘Evolving London’ series of lectures. A full version of the debate is available @ www.ealinginlondon.com

The Ealing In London debate was held at the Ealing Film Studios and was attended by:Stephan Armitage – Lambert Smith Hampton David Baptiste – Ealing Council Cllr Julian Bell – Ealing Council Patricia Brown – Central Sue Cooper – Catalyst HA Damian Leydon – Berkeley West Thames Ameer Mirza – Kingmead Homes Jonathan Morgan – Galliard Rory O’Connor – O’Shea James Pargeter – Greystar Carol Sam – Ealing Council Lucy Taylor – Ealing Council Stephen Welsh – Ealing BID

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Southall Sunshine Southall offers great potential for investors and businesses with its canal side setting, multi-cultural communities, and – when Crossrail arrives – firstclass connections to Heathrow and central London.

Carla Passino visited to find out more.

I

t’s an overcast morning in Southall, in the southwestern corner of the London borough of Ealing, but one of the onion domes of the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Saba pierces the clouds like a gilded beacon against the leaden sky. It’s just a short walk to reach the gold-crowned Sikh temple from the train station, but it’s enough to make you forget the damp British weather. Instead, you are plunged into a vibrant world filled with South Asian music, intricate gold jewellery, bold, pearl-encrusted fabrics and intensely scented cardamom tea.

Diversity is Southall’s hallmark and the local community—a melting pot of British, Gujarati, Punjabi, Tamil and Somali, communities among others—wears its difference with pride.

“This is a slightly unusual part of London,” says Simon Brookes, a consultant who is spearheading the redevelopment of Southall’s Elizabethan Manor House (see page 32). “It’s got a really distinctive character—it’s a wonderfully diverse area.” And there’s strong cross-cultural bonds here – in Ealing Council’s most recent Residents’ Survey 9 out of 10 felt people from different backgrounds got on well together.

Less than five minutes separate the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Saba—thought to be the largest Sikh temple outside India—from the austere bulk of St Anselm’s Catholic Church, the timbered, homely hall of the Southall Baptist Church and the small, graceful building that houses Shree Ram Mandir, one of the oldest Hindu temples in the UK. “This is a golden mile [for places of worship],” laughs Umesh Sharma, who chairs the board of trustees at Shree Ram Mandir. “We were counting religious places (in Southall) and I think they came to about 40.”

This abundance of churches and temples doesn’t just make for enticing architecture and a packed calendar of fabulous celebrations, such as Diwali, and parades—it is also key to the smooth functioning of the local community. Religious leaders have long been working together through an interfaith network called the Southall Faith Forum and the tensions that could strain relationships among different groups are a thing of the past.

Southall’s motto is ‘For All’ and the community has been so successful in living up to it that it has been held up as an example for the rest of the country, garnering acknowledgements from Prince Charles and the Archbishop of Canterbury, among others.

“This is a golden mile for places of worship” Umesh Sharma, Shree Ram Mandir Temple “It’s [down to] very hard work and straightforward honest respect,” says Umesh. “We don’t interfere in the day-to-day activities of other religions—we respect them, respect what they do.” After all, he adds, “all prayers say we are all equal. I was mayor of Ealing [in 1998-1999] and attended all services and one message was universal: We always pray for the wellbeing of everybody.”

To cement this community spirit, faith leaders also encourage local people to engage in voluntary service. “Two things happen,” explains Umesh. “First, they feel part of the system; and, secondly, once you go inside any organisation, you learn so much. It brings discipline in you and enhances how you react to others—it’s amazing.”

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Clockwise from top left: Canal living on the Grand Union Canal; Diwali celebrations at the Shree Ram Mandir Temple; religious leaders of different faiths come together during Diwali.

At Shree Ram Mandir, volunteers are hard at work counting donations in the ground-floor hall. They come from a panoply of countries, partly because the temple doubles as a place of worship for people from Nepal and Mauritius, who haven’t got their own religious space. But anyone, whether they have any faith at all, is welcome here to find a moment’s respite—or a bite to eat. In the temple proper, the priest will often generously press mounds of sweets, oranges, bananas and apples, blessed by sumptuously-clad deities, onto visitors. And in the kitchen, more volunteers keep busy firing dozens of chapattis to nourish up to 400 hungry devotees a day. “This is all done on a charitable basis” says Gulu Anand, a trustee of the temple and the owner of the Brilliant Restaurant (see page 61).

mother has retired but my father is still active.” He credits working with the family as one of the reasons that contributes to the success of Southall shops like his own: “It helps cut down costs.”

But there’s another reason local shops are thriving—they specialise in fashion, jewellery and food that are not easy to find in high-street chains. “We built up a little India here in Southall and this boosts the economy,” says Gulu.

“People come here because they know they can find everything and find it cheap,” agrees Mukthiar Grewal, whose family runs New Fashion House, a textiles and trimmings shop, also on the King Street. She recalls that, in the past, banks would often balk at giving loans to prospective shopkeepers— unless you planned to open your business in Southall, which they saw as a sure win. After all, as Mr Sharma says, “there’s never any recession here.”

Southall already draws shoppers from across west London and large swathes of Surrey and Middlesex.

“We can have 300-400 people coming in and out of the temple and we feed them.”

“There’s never any recession Gulu Anand, temple trustee in Southall.”

Food plays a huge part in knitting the Southall community together. On the streets, stalls are stacked high with bright green okra, giant mooli and fragrant methi leaves—alongside teensy, pale purple aubergines, fat turnips and the odd Polish delicacy thrown in for good measure. Every third shop promises sugary heaven, with high piles of irresistibly crispy jalebis, crunchy Punjabi cookies and rich, exquisitely iced cakes.

Most of the local businesses are independent and familyrun—an increasingly rare sight on British high streets. Sanjeev, a jewellery shop on 19 King Street, whose windows glitter with finely worked gold pieces, is run by a father-and-son team. “The shop has been here since 1986,” says owner Sanjeev Manjania. “My

Umesh Sharma, Shree Ram Mandir Temple “And once the [Elizabeth line] station opens, it will bring more business,” says Mukthiar. Having come to Southall from Singapore in 1962, she has seen the area change a lot over the years—but she wouldn’t live anywhere else. “When I moved here, my son was unwell and I got a lot of help. Later, I moved outside [the area] but didn’t like it and came back. It’s different in Southall. You have got everything here—the station, the temple, everything cheap and fresh. And I’d be lonely elsewhere.” “This is an extended family,” agrees Umesh. “Nothing you can buy with money [can compare] with this kind of feeling.”

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But the icing on the Southall cake—or, more appropriately, the sugar syrup on the rasgulla—is that it offers something you would be hard pushed to find anywhere else, according to Gulu: “It is one of the few places I can think of in England where you can get free food!”

London’s affordable haven…for now In a city where property prices averaged £483,568 in September 2017, according to the Land Registry, Southall is an oasis of affordability. Figures for 2016 show that Southall Green was the sixth most affordable of London’s 625 electoral wards, with the area’s other four wards— Dormers Well, Southall Broadway, Norwood Green and Lady Margaret—all ranking within the first 205. However, local property prices are rising—fast. The game-changer is the forthcoming launch of the Elizabeth line.

Southall has already seen a 41 per cent house price increase between August 2014 and August 2016, according to Lloyds Bank—against the average 22 per cent premium triggered by the Elizabeth line across London. All this, together with plenty of brownfield land ripe for regeneration and a council that’s actively encouraging development, makes the area attractive as an area to invest in. As a result, local properties look set to become even more valuable in the future.

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Southall Spotlights 22

Southall Town Centre Building better

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ig plans are afoot for Southall. The local council has developed an ambitious programme to create 6,000 new homes and 3,000 fresh job opportunities, while turning former industrial estates into lively community hubs.

“A lot of change is happening,” says Eleanor Young, a consultant for Ealing Council, who is spearheading regeneration in the area. Alongside the large developments at Southall Waterside and the Honey Monster factory (see facing page), she names the regeneration of the Havelock estate, with developers Catalyst (see pages 34-38) as one of Southall’s most notable projects. The regeneration will add 922 new homes, whilst retaining 154 of the existing 846 homes and will offer a mix of social rent, shared and private ownership.

Just north of the Havelock estate, Eleanor is currently working with the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Saba on ideas to improve another sizeable site, Southall Gateway. This could see the creation of a state of the art replacement Gurdwara, new retail, public and work spaces, plus homes and new

Below: Visual of the transformed Southall Gateway area.

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Southall

At a Glance

6,000 NEW HOMES

HAVELOCK ESTATE

3,000 JOB OPPORTUNITIES

922 NEW HOMES

SOUTHALL GATEWAY REGENERATION

RETAIN 154 OF EXISTING 846 HOMES

INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC SPACES AND TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE 900,000 MORE JOBS WITHIN A 45 MINUTE CROSSRAIL COMMUTE

MIX OF SOCIAL RENT, PRIVATE AND SHARED OWNERSHIP

walking and cycling routes. She’s also beginning to work on a new project at The Green, which spans five acres of underused land close to the station. “We are seeking a development partner to bring this site, currently in fragmented ownership, into mixed-use development.”

But Southall’s regeneration programme is not just limited to building new homes and facilities. Also on the council’s radar are tackling traffic congestion, making the most of the local listed buildings and opening up access to existing green spaces and to the Grand Union Canal, which flows through the area.

“You need good transport and good quality of place to make a town a success,” says Eleanor. “[The Elizabeth Line] brings an excellent opportunity, but the council is also investing in improving Southall, with three new public squares, parks, modernisation of the road network and addressing the issues that the community felt were holding [the area] back. Ealing Council has spent a lot of money on Southall and this will improve the quality of the place and drive further investment.”

Southall Spotlights

At a Glance

From Factory to Films or A Housing Revolution

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whole new quarter is poised to come to life in Southall. The 16-acre Honey Monster site — named after the cereal puffs the former factory used to produce —is being transformed by Galliard Homes and O’Shea into a vibrant mixed-use development. “We are trying to create a complete new place that brings together homes and employment so they can live in harmony,” says Noel Rutherford of Rutherford Projects, an associate of the developers.

Jobs created here will most likely be in the film, gaming and visual art industry, not only because Southall already has a historic connection to it, but also because Crossrail’s Elizabeth Line, east of the development, will make it easy to reach both Soho and Heathrow. “This could be quite a cool place not just to make movies and high-quality TV but post-production and a range of support activity that come with the film industry,” explains Noel.

The developer will pioneer new approaches to property rental and home ownership across the development.

1500 HOMES SEVERAL HUNDRED JOBS DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE CYCLING, WALKING AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Among the many ideas under consideration are Build to Rent (B2R), where corporate landlords purpose-build quality homes designed specifically for renting rather than for sale, and are managed with a high service-led culture by specialist operators. Another exciting possibility is of co-living or shared living, a solution where younger people can rent out a place of their own with access to shared areas such as a kitchen, dining room, spa and gym. Noel says the site will have a significant chunk of affordable housing, as well as offering the option of traditional home ownership at a reasonable price. “If there’s an opportunity to create living spaces in a different way, with a range of tenures, it really gives people a chance to make their own choices about life.”

“We are mindful of creating a place that can improve lives through employment, the quality of the homes and the health aspects,” says Noel. “It’s an exciting new quarter, greening Southall and [bringing] employment and residential together to get the best of both.”

Below: How the transformed former Honey Monster site could look.

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Southall Spotlights 23

At a Glance

Southall Manor House Fine dining in the finest setting

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ood, jobs and cultural events will fuse at Southall Manor House, in a unique project that is breathing new life into a Grade II*-listed, Tudor-style building close to the station.

Working with Ealing, Hammersmith & West London College, the council is refurbishing and extending the Manor House into a new and exciting venue for Southall. It will create a restaurant in the former historic rooms, and a café, kitchen and project room for food entrepreneurs in the former kitchen, and training areas, workshops and class spaces on the upper rooms. “[The plan] is to turn it into an events venue and a

SOUTHALL’S NEW EVENTS SPACE RESTAURANT AND HOSPITALITY AND CATERING TRAINING SPACE

restaurant—but with a training angle,” says Simon Brooke, the project manager. “It will train people in all sorts of different careers in the hospitality and catering industry.”

The venue will be surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens, complete with an edible wall of fruit trees, a picnic lawn and a flower-and-produce garden, where local people will eventually be able to grow their own food. “The idea is that it will be a landmark,” says Simon. “It will act as a catalyst for place-making in Southall. On the back of that, we’ll be creating local jobs, training opportunities and social community benefits.”

Below: Completed rear view and construction work at Southall Manor House and the grand main facade

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GRADE II LISTED TUDOR STYLE BUILDING

Southall Spotlights

At a Glance:

Southall Waterside Canal living at its best

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ne of London’s largest and most ambitious regeneration developments, the Southall Waterside project will revitalise a former gas plant situated just west of the station, which had progressively fallen into disuse since the 1970s. Now belonging to the Berkeley Group, the 88-acre site was granted planning permission for conversion into a mixeduse development—the largest in the area. “To put this into perspective, the site is the same size as 36 Trafalgar Squares—it’s huge,” says Karl Whiteman, Executive director for Berkeley Homes’ Urban Renaissance division.

Retail space will feature both local businesses and high-street brands that currently don’t have a foothold in Southall, while the apartments will be a mix of private units and affordable housing so well-crafted that you’d be hard-pushed to spot which is which. “Specification-wise, they are pretty much like for like,” says Karl. “In terms of quality, the blocks are up there with the highest specs I’ve ever seen for affordable housing.”

Similarly, he adds, “half of the development is publicly accessible open space.” Public-realm areas will include several

3,750 NEW APARTMENTS LEISURE FACILITIES, RESTAURANTS, SHOPS, A COMMUNITY CENTRE, A PRIMARY SCHOOL, A HEALTH CENTRE LARGE PLAZAS TWO PARKS AND LINKS TO THE MINET COUNTRY PARK

large plazas—complete with water features echoing the canal that flows down one side of the development—and two parks, one of which has permission to house the UK’s biggest outdoor cinema screen.

Engaging the community is central to the Southall Waterside vision and Berkeley Homes (see pages 66 to 69). The development will also open up access to an existing, 90-acre country park that is currently underused because it is so difficult to reach. “We are creating two foot bridges, so the public can come through the development and walk across the bridge into the country park,” explains Karl.

The building programme is set to span at least 25 years, with the first units released as early as 2019. “On our first phase, 432 [homes] will be private and 186 will be affordable. We are pulling forward the social blocks because there’s such a cry-out for affordable homes, so our first completions will be shared-ownership and affordable-rent apartments. We are looking at completing the first [of these] in the first quarter of 2019.”

Below: Visual of Southall Waterside’s first phase units scheduled for completion in 2019.

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Talkin’ about regeneration…

Innovative, bold and imaginative… that was Ealing Council’s approach when it decided to embark on large scale regeneration of nine estates in 2008 – the peak year of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.

Yet today, that decision, taken ten years ago, has made the council an exemplary housing local authority.

Andy Mahony talks to some of those that made it happen.

8

Havelock Estate Overview

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aling Council’s commitment to investment in the borough has not just been restricted to housing; regeneration is delivering new public realm, commercial facilities, schools and community amenities. Local labour is benefiting through the promotion of apprenticeships and construction activity on the council’s nine estates alone means an investment of £1.2 billion into Ealing’s economy over an 18-year period. Today in Ealing, regeneration is seen as a specialism that the council has proved it can deliver over the long term.

Ealing has entered into a number of developer partner modes to deliver affordable homes that would not otherwise have been possible. Catalyst Housing is the council’s developer partner on the Havelock estate in Southall.

Tom Titherington, Catalyst’s Executive Director of Property and Growth, explains why he considers Ealing to be their core borough and Southall in particular, a key neighbourhood.

“We started out here in 1963 as Ealing Family Housing Association.

Our first offices and first homes were in Southall. We still view the area as a very important place and one we know is going to change significantly.

The question is how we make it change well so that it works for the current community and the new people that are going to arrive.

“Before we moved a single brick on Havelock we spoke at length to the exiting residents, some of who had lived there since day one.

What originally attracted them to the area were low-rise buildings, gardens and lots of communal green space.

“So high-rise and high density is out; instead whilst we’re increasing the density we’re also maintaining a significant suburban feel that runs with the grain of Southall and changing the perceptions of it.

‘We’re…maintaining a significant suburban feel that runs with the grain of Southall.”

Tom Titherington, Catalyst “Our designs also utilise the adjacent Grand Union Canal, not in the traditional sense of building apartments alongside it and putting their value up, but as a general amenity and linking it with the wider area and parkland.”

Catalyst’s approach at Havelock meets a clear requirement for all the council’s nine regeneration schemes – to consider the quality of life for those living in and around these emerging neighbourhoods.

Sally Lewis is director of the award winning architects, Stitch. Sally has occupied a strategic role in the regeneration of Acton Gardens since the development of the master plan in 2008. From the beginning, her focus has been prioritising the street to help re-integrate the area with the local neighbourhood.

“The Victorian street has longevity”, says Sally. “So prioritising it has been our overriding device; get this right and almost everything else falls into place.”

“Early on we looked at some aerial photographs that showed a clear boundary, making the estate disconnected and inward looking. We wanted to change this, so that when someone walks from the surrounding streets into the new development, it’s a seamless experience and feels part of the normal street pattern.

However, getting everything working right at street level is not without its challenges, says Sally.

Ealing resident Charlotte Laws enjoys her new home on Copley

1

Copley Estate New Homes

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“There were blocks with a hundred homes all served by just one, small street level entrance. Changing this to a more human scale with front doors and gardens is challenging. For example bin stores and cycle storage all necessitate an innovative design to ensure the street level does not feel cluttered.

“It’s important to retain good elements of an area’s history.”

Sally Lewis, Stitch “The GLA called for perfectly straight streets to enable clear lines of site. We successfully argued against this as it would have meant removing long-established London plane trees.

Retaining these stops it feeling like we’ve wiped the slate clean; it’s important to retain good elements of an area’s history.”

So what’s the secret of estate regeneration that creates inclusive places that cater to people, promote health, happiness and wellbeing?

“I agree it’s about good urban design and utilising natural features,” says Titherington. “It’s also about creating a mixed community that reflects much of the demography of London.

Realising we have a wider stewardship role is vital, so we have an impact that is greater than just the redevelopment of the housing.”

Sally agrees on the importance of good urban design: “Ultimately it’s about making a place that feels whole; about making places sing. It’s about making a place that works so well you don’t really notice.”

“Good urban design is about making a place that feels whole…that sings.”

Striving to deliver the very best in estate regeneration is ambitious work. The tremendous progress the council has made to-date shows that it’s entirely achievable. However, it is not without its challenges as Titherington explains.

“As a developer partner it does involve risk because regeneration is predicated on our ability to put the money up front and sell properties in order to bring in cross-subsidy.

Let’s be clear, the replacement of social housing is costly and we need to be confident that what we’re creating will bring the value in.

“This is why our strong relationship with Ealing Council is so important. The council understands what we are trying to do, they understand our sums and they understand our business plan. They are also very clear about what they want to achieve and the problems they need to solve.

“Ealing have properly resourced the Havelock project; we have good close links with the project managers and the legal team. This provides the confidence that regeneration is going to happen come what may. So whilst it’s our job to deliver, the enabling function has always been there.”

As successful as the developer partner model is proving to be, it is not the only string to Ealing’s bow. The creation of its house building company, Broadway Living, is arguably its most entrepreneurial move to date. So how do Ealing’s housing association partners view the creation of Broadway Living?

Catalyst’s Tom Titherington gives his take: “When we talk about delivering new affordable homes I am reminded that the people who founded our organisation had two concerns: homelessness and high rents in the private sector.

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Sally Lewis, Stitch

Left and above: Brotherton Lock on Acton Gardens – designed by Stitch

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“The more people that are able to directly provide affordable housing the better.”

Tom Titherington, Catalyst “So the more people that are able to directly provide affordable housing the better. That’s one reason we welcome the arrival of Broadway Living. For us as a local organisation involved in multi-tenure housing provision, I think there’s opportunity around the mix of affordable housing that, potentially, we could jointly provide on regeneration schemes.”

The council set up Broadway Living specifically to address the lack of quality, public-funded, affordable rental accommodation in Ealing. It is now also in the business of providing multi-tenure housing. Sitting outside the local government housing finance system (Housing Revenue Account) Broadway Living provides more control over rents, borrowing and Right-to-Buy. Setting up a housing company is also providing a financial return to the council. This means that, using the profits made on private sales and rental properties, the council can deliver even more affordable housing. In this way Broadway Living complements delivery by housing associations and the private sector, and reflects the entrepreneurial ethos of Ealing Council.

Given the traditional skill set of council staff, with a strong emphasis on supporting general needs tenants, the council procured BMA Property Group to identify skills gaps, and equip staff for a wider range of services delivered by Broadway Living.

Rosemary Bell, director at BMA Property Group, explains why the approach Ealing has taken is re-writing the rulebook.

“We walk two lines at Ealing,” says Rosemary. “One of commercial acumen and the other of public sector ethos. This means we spend as much time working alongside back-office staff as we do front of house making sales. It means we’re

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integral to the process, not a bolt-on client function, and that’s the secret to Ealing’s success.”

On a development of new homes in Greenford, BMA Group were instrumental in ensuring that 90 per cent of affordable homes were sold to teachers and social workers. This has not only helped the council to provide homes that are affordable to people on average salaries, but has also helped retain muchneeded teachers and social workers in the borough.

The BMA team also sold the homes on phase two of Broadway Living’s award winning regeneration at Copley Close.

“Copley is another example of what Ealing does best.”

Rosemary Bell, BMA Property Group “Copley is another example of what Ealing does best,” says Rosemary. “Showing what genuine partnerships can deliver. Visitors to our marketing suite and show flat are astounded at the quality and professionalism of what’s on offer. It way surpasses expectations of what people expect from a council development.”

So what is the secret of the success at Copley Close and other Broadway Living developments?

“Not waiting until the last minute to bring the sales team in,” says Rosemary. “Our ability to help inform and deliver the council’s strategy relies on us having a 360 degree, joinedup view. It’s simply not enough to stay front of house selling units. Success lies in truly integrating to help the council solve problems, some of which it will not have encountered before.”

With regeneration set to replace around 4,000 homes with more than 5,700 new homes, plus the development of underused sites and the growing success of Broadway Living, Ealing is set to deliver its 500th additional new council home in 2018.

That milestone will be one worth talking about, and in Ealing it looks like we’ll be talking about regeneration for some time yet.

A REMARKABLE REGENERATION A R E M A R K A B L E S A L E S S U C C E S S S TO R Y

With Alton Court, the latest phase of this £100 million, award-winning estate regeneration scheme almost sold out, Copley represents a successful partnership between Ealing Council and Broadway Living, a pioneering developer of high quality private and shared ownership homes.

A wholly owned subsidiary of Ealing Council

Over the next five years the company has plans for a diverse range of around 1,000 homes across the borough. These will meet the needs and aspirations of tenants and buyers across a range of income brackets, providing desirable and contemporary places to live.

834 HOMES | 280 HIGH SPECIFICATION NEW BUILD | 554 CAREFULLY CONSIDERED REFURBISHMENTS TOTAL SITE AREA: 82,000 SQ METRES (882,640 SQ FT) | COMMUNITY SPACE CREATED: 5,900 SQ METRES (63,507 SQ FT)

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.COPLEYHANWELLW7.CO.UK OR EMAIL INFO@BROADWAYLIVING.CO.UK

Ealing’s Alchemists – Turning hops into liquid gold Ealing is home to a growing micro-brewery and pub scene, which is helping to put some of the most exciting and original ales into the hands of thirsty west Londoners. Robin Das discovered what makes them taste so good.

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eapolitan ice cream, sherbet lemons, coffee, chocolate and passion fruit - this might sound like a list of ingredients from the Great British Bake Off but actually they are just some of the notes you might pick up when downing a pint of one of Weird Beard Brewery Co’s devilish concoctions.

Since 2012, the Weird Beard Brew’s team of brewers led by Bryan Spooner, has been pulping, pouring, steaming and boiling a plethora of ingredients into some of the wackiest flavours that you will find anywhere in the world encased in a beer bottle. From their brewery site in Boston Business Park in Hanwell, they craft dozens of speciality beers along with signature brands, such as ‘Mariana Trench’, a fruity fusion of American and New Zealand hops.

Micro-breweries, like Weird Beer, are independents brewing small quantities of each beer using specialist ingredients in experimental recipes and have been around since the 1970s. However, they have really had a bit of a renaissance in the last few years particularly in the capital.

While east London is home to the bulk of the capital’s craft brewing businesses, the team looked west because of the amount of rental work space they could get in Ealing borough. Natasha Wolf, the team’s communications manager, explains. “Rent in the east is very high, and here we have more space to expand as we grow and bring more plant in.” Which is helpful as the crew can manually bottle around 600 litres on any one of their packaging days – which works out at an awful lot of bottles of beer a day.

“Rent in the east is very high in Ealing we have more space to expand as we grow.”

Tasha Wolf, Weird Beard Brewery Co

Ealing’s Best Micro-Breweries and Pubs The Dodo 52 Boston Road, Hanwell www.thedodomicropub.com

Weird Beard Brewery Check their website for pop ups and take over tap events www.weirdbeardbrewco.com

Weird Beard Brewery’s

Mariana

Trench

This cracking brew has tropical fruit notes of mango, peach and passion-fruit flavours balanced with light malt sweetness using US and NZ hops – and is named after the lowest point in the seabed where the two continents meet.

The Owl and the PussyCat 106 Northfield Ave, Northfields www.markopaulo.co.uk

The Owl and the Pussycat’s

Hanwell Hopped Pale Ale This Northfields brewery grow their own hops in Hanwell to make an Autumnal beer with ultra-fresh undried hops to give a marmalade-laden taste.

DragonFly Brewery at the George and Dragon Pub 183 High St, Acton facebook@dragonflyacton Acton’s Dragonfly Brewery’s

Achtung!

Acton’s very own microbrewery and pub brews a Bavarian style wheat beer with banana and clove flavours.

The Weird Beard Brewery plant.

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The team are at the forefront of creating unique flavoured beers. “Malt, hops and yeast are the main players of beer. We change the hops in every batch of our ‘Little Things That Kill’ brew. This helps us to remain innovative whilst giving each batch of the same beer its own special aroma and taste,” says Tasha.

“We are very boundary pushing with our speciality beers such as our take on a lawnmower beer, a dark cream ale, so-called because Americans drink beer when mowing their lawns.”

Weird Beard beers are vegetarian and usually vegan so everyone can enjoy a tipple. The team have also experimented with turning surplus supermarket bread into beer, which Tasha describes as having a ‘fluffy mouthfeel’, by teaming up with local homeless charity The Felix Project. They also work sustainably as their spent grains and used hops get recycled into compost.

Together the team have created a global Ealing based brand on sale in all the right cool places and festivals, including Ealing’s Beer Festival, from North America right to the end of their street in Hanwell’s first micro-pub ‘The Dodo’.

Hanwell’s first Micro-pub - The Dodo It was a serendipitous moment that led Lucy Do to open ‘The Dodo’ – named as a nod to her family name and the quirky defunct bird. Lucy dropped into Ealing Council’s Business Expo event a couple of years ago, and fell into conversation with June Martin, the owner of The Little Art Shop just off Hanwell Broadway. Fast forward to today and that arts and crafts store has now morphed into a stripped back, intimate and cosy space adorned with funky dodo art serving up some of Britain’s most lip-smacking micro-brews including Weird Beer.

Micro pubs, such as ‘The Dodo’, only stock beers from micro-breweries, and their pubs’ characters reflect the owners’ independent spirit. Their style harks back to a time when pubs were friendly, cosier spots, without all the hightech trappings we’ve become use to.

Above: Lucy Do at the Dodo / Below: The Dodo, Micro Pub

“The Dodo works in Hanwell because it has that community spirit.”

Lucy Do, Dodo Micro Pub “The Dodo works in Hanwell, because it has that community spirit - many locals call it London’s last village.

The difference is we create a vibe, that helps people who have come in on their own to build friendships,” says Lucy. “I was always told that Hanwell would get behind independents and it has; we’ve had good support from the local parade of shops – people can buy their supper from the local chippie and come in and eat it here with a pint.”

After many sleepless nights, Lucy turns a profit after a lot of hard work, dedication, and challenges and her business forecast for the future is optimistic.

The proportion of self-employed people in Ealing is one of the highest of any London borough at nearly a fifth of the working population, a figure that is set to grow with the expansion of flexible work spaces and hubs across the borough, such as BoomZone. In Park Royal catering startups can rent out kitchen space where they can get their feet off the ground without the risk of large-scale investment. This innovation is making Ealing the first-choice destination for would be food and drink start-ups.

For many of them, such as the Dodo and the Weird Beard Brew Co, it seems the glass is half-full in Ealing.

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Why Ealing?

Crossrail “will put Ealing in a position to rival every other London borough for connectivity, so…developers are piling in to take full advantage of the district’s expanding appeal.”

Homes & Property, Evening Standard

o £5 billi n of investment

underway in the borough

900,000

more

jobs

within a 45 minute Crossrail commute

more than

90%

of secondary and PRIMARY SCHOOLS rated

Good or Outstanding ofsteD rated

58

Southall ‘Curry Mile’ restaurants cross borough property price increase

+45%

by2020 crossrail effect

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filmworks

crossrail 12 MINUTES

tO BOND STREET

COMING SOON

500

COUNCIL

&

HEATHROW AIPRORT

on track for 2019

...A Gold

4 Years running...

‘London In Bloom’

Borough

HOUSEs COMPLETed 2011-2018

2014-2017

HANWELL

home to

HOOTIE Free Music Festival

ealing studios Ealing 150 Classic films 1932 to 1956

today A WORLD CLASS

FILM & TV INDUSTRY

17, 8 85 small businesses

162, 0 00+ local jobs

University Students PLACE PPY

ING IS A HA L A E

London’s Biggest One-day

17,000+

People in Ealing rate their happiness as 7.5 out of 10 (above London average) *Office for National Statistics

one amazing borough that’s

why ealing!

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Why Ealing? People

“Working with Ealing Council has given us an amazing opportunity to join the Greenford community by revitalising a large, neglected site...

Greenford Green will be a unique development in Ealing borough – and London - with nearly 1,500 purpose-designed rental homes which Greystar will manage, alongside a further 500 homes for sale. You can read more about the plans on page 11 in our development spotlight section.

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...to create a new mixed-use canalside neighbourhood which is strong and inclusive, and has placemaking at its heart.�

James Pargeter Development Director, Greystar

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Why Ealing? People

“I’ve worked here for 34 years and it feels like part of my family here. It’s a good vibe. I’m looking forward to the new cinema – it’s good for an area to have a cultural place.”

Lorraine Leonida Telecommunications Manager and Front of House, Ealing Studios

Lorraine has worked at Ealing Studios since 1982, first under the BBC and then as part of Ealing Studios. She has been witness to many classic British films and television series being made at the Studios. She recalls the Downton Abbey cast, who used to pinch sweet treats from her sweet bowl on the reception, and the Theory of Everything with Eddie Redmayne who had to have physical therapy every day for his role as Stephen Hawking.

The studios’ producers call her the ‘Queen of Ealing’ and picked Lorraine to stand in line to meet the Duchess of Cambridge on her recent visit to the studios.

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Why Ealing? People

“The borough of Ealing is a great place for our Brompton factory. Since being here, we’ve been able to expand production and this year we are set to manufacture over 45,000 bikes” Will Butler-Adams CEO, Brompton Bikes

The unique Brompton bike design was conceived by Andrew Ritchie, who started work on designing a folding bike in his flat overlooking the Brompton Oratory in South Kensington, London. Brompton’s award-winning bikes are ridden across the world – including at the South Pole. In 2015, the company relocated to Ealing borough and full production now takes place at their factory in Greenford making them another successful Ealing-based business.

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Why Ealing? People

“Schools work closely together to nurture pupils to achieve high academic standards so that they are well-prepared for life in multicultural Britain in the 21st century.”

Mrs Kerry Shilling Headteacher, Selbourne Primary School, Perivale

Kerry has been the headteacher of Selbourne Primary for the last two years and in the school’s May 2017 Ofsted rating it went from Good to Outstanding in all areas. Selbourne is a large (3 form entry), spacious school with an outstanding team of dedicated professionals who are committed to ensuring that all of its 600+ pupils have the skills in life to succeed.

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Jigsaw, West Ealing

We are a residential property group creating thousands of high-quality new homes across London and southern England.

With 3,400 homes in Ealing and over 1,000 more in the development pipeline, we are proud to continue our investment in the borough.

This includes Jigsaw, where we are working with Rydon to transform the Green Man Lane estate. The flagship regeneration project will provide over 770 new homes, along with community facilities, a new school and cafĂŠ.

Find out more about what we do at a2dominion.co.uk/about-us.

Refurbishment of new restaurant quarter & mall begins Limeyard & Turtle Bay restaurants open

Refurbishment of management suite, toilets & mall begins Pandora open Refurbishment completed Clas Ohlson & Bubble Magik open

Smiggle open

EAT & Wasabi open

M&S installs a new shop front

2014 2015 2016

July Sept Jan Mar Nov Apr July Oct

ell located in the centre of Ealing and close to the train and tube station, Ealing Broadway is an attractive W and convenient shopping destination that has undergone a significant transformation. Attracting an annual footfall in excess of 15 million, the mixed-use centre has over 75 retail and restaurant units, a gym and 100,000 sq ft of office space.

Following the extended ownership, we have a unique opportunity to develop and create an even more accessible and attractive destination for local people and visitors. British Land are considering the best and most cohesive options with key stakeholders including Ealing Council and Historic England.

Neon Sheep & Cath Kidston open

Itsu open

Crossrail arrives

Nov

Dec

2018/19

Planning achieved for 55 PRS apartments

Storey open

Aug

Relocate library

Extend ownership Aquired10-40 The Broadway

May

Flexible. Well-designed.

These are office spaces you’ll love to work in.

We’re thrilled to introduce Storey. Businesses can create a space that truly reflects their personality and ambition. Imagine an office that not only has high speed wi-fi, security, and flexibility but also gives you the opportunity to meet and collaborate with like-minded businesses. storey.co.uk

britishland.com

Create a new retail anchor

future

2017

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Church Life Churchfield Road in Acton has always had its own independent vibe and today it is home to some of the borough’s most quirky and original businesses.

Robin Das met some of them to find out why Acton’s on the up.

L

ike many pockets of London, Churchfield Road is defined by its borders – from St Mary’s church in the town square to the railway level crossing at Acton Central station. Along this stretch shoppers will find some of the borough’s best one-off restaurants, cafes, niche stores and community hubs, coupled with a real sense of pride in a street where Adam Faith grew up and The Who once tore down.

“Churchfield Road,” says Rachel Pepper from local arts groups Artification, “really is the pulse of the area. There’s no one dominant culture here, it really is a very diverse place.”

In the 1970s the area was home to thriving Afro-Caribbean and Irish communities but over time it has changed as new generations and communities have cottoned on to its appeal.

In the 80s Acton Park, just along from the station, played host to competing sound systems in the height of summer.

“Different sounds would clash, people didn’t keep themselves to themselves,” recalls Rachel. Today, that is still true, especially when it is carnival time, and community groups, young and old come together and really showcase their talents – a micro Notting Hill jamboree – but still just as much a grassroots ‘let’s put on our glad rags and party’ event.

Jeremy Kahn’s father Rudolf opened up a second-hand store at the corner of Churchfield Road in 1962 and ran it until just over a decade ago. The store was a staple part of the street and Jeremy recalls the time in the 70s, when Rudolf became a bit-part player in Pete Townsend’s The Who’s video ‘Stardom in Acton’, when the band raced down the high street for their video with Pete pausing to draw breath and exchange the time of day with Jeremy’s dad.

With the Ealing Film studios so nearby, the area has always been on directors’ radars and several Monthy Python sketches and Minder scenes were shot along and just off the street.

Property Viewpoint Zain Bozai, from Kinleigh, Folkard and Hayward, gives his property view on Churchfield Road. “There’s very diverse housing stock off the road in Poets Corner, from two-bed Victorian cottages in Spencer Close to bigger family homes in Woodrush Road. The area’s appeal is that lots of people really know each other and there’s real community – one of our clients runs a local W3 mums network – it’s a small area and people don’t often move.

“I think you could take the area around Churchfield Road and move it anywhere in the UK and people would want to live there. Because of the status of living in Poets Corner the area is going to remain strong.”

Property Prices in Poets Corner off Churchfield Road One-bed flats start from £400 to 450k and a two-bed cottage starts from £700 to 750k.

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“Churchfield Road is getting better. People have nice ideas here and I’d like to see more people in the trades getting together more.”

Giuliano Orrico, Style and Beauty Barbers

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Churchfield Road antiques store

The Oaks development

14

Acton High Street Key date: Completion – 2019

“I’m a cyclist by heart and I’ve worked on bikes all my life.

This is one of my favourite areas of London – it’s nice and quiet like a small village.”

Ciprian Paun, Bicycle Repair Station

Today, the old bureaus, vintage mirrors and other paraphernalia have given way to vases of freshly-arranged bouquets as the store is now home to the thriving ‘Heart and Soul’ florist. Jeremy nods out of the florist’s window at the handsome Georgian building facing us. “That was the original farmhouse. And I can still remember when locals used to collect their daily pint from the milk urns from the trains at the station.” The road took its name from the fields that surrounded the church and, another reminder of the past, the Victorian graveyard remains at the top end of the high street. At the other end of the road, past the park, are the Goldsmiths’ Almhouses built in 1811 – and arguably one of the best examples of surviving nineteenth century urban housing in the capital.

Local traders have always had a strong foothold in the area too, from the time when Misters Waite, Rose and Taylor opened their first three grocery shops in Acton – selling ethical items and creating a brand that would go on to become synonymous with high-end quality.

Today, some of the long-standing businesses such as Giuliano Orrico’s Style and Beauty barbers, are still going strong, which give a reassuring link to the past. But over the last decade or so the generation from the 60s and

Developers O’Shea, in partnership with Reef Estates Ltd and ARC, are currently carrying out a £135m redevelopment of the Oaks Shopping Centre in Acton. Due for completion in 2019, the redevelopment includes the creation of 11 new retail units, a gym and 178 residential apartments. Space has been pre-let to Wilko, Lidl and M&S Simply Food.

The new development will link Churchfield Road with the high street via a pedestrian link and vehicles will have access to the centre from both streets.

The new shopping centre will provide a mixed use development offering retail, leisure and residential units.

The works comprise the construction of approximately 80,000sqft of retail and leisure accommodation with car parking. Sited above the shopping centre, 178 apartments will be built with approximately 137,000sqft of residential living space in five blocks ranging from three to eight storeys.

This multi-million pound investment in the heart of Acton will make the location a more attractive area as a place for people to work, shop and live.

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Proud to be associated with Ealing in London

The Oaks, Acton – This £135M redevelopment, due for completion in 2019 includes the creation of 11 new retail units, a gym and 178 residential apartments.

The Honey Monster, Southall – Residential and Commercial development over 16 acres adjacent to Southall Crossrail Station.

Westgate House, Hanger Lane – Luxury

residential apartments – Lifestyle facilities will be available, such as a fully-equipped gym, sauna and steam room, plus a communal terrace lounge with an adjoining screening room and 24 hour concierge.

Portal West, Southall – Residential scheme providing 578 new homes alongside new flexible commercial space and new landscaping.

www.oshea.co.uk

“Churchfield Road is a great and cool place to be with an interesting mix of regulars. You get people from all walks of life here.”

Allan Lott, Manager of the Station House Pub

70s sold up and new businesses, such as the Churchfield Road Food Store and the Village Trading Store, have moved in creating an appealing mix of much-needed day to day shops and mellow places to chill. Churchfield Road has its landmark businesses too – the Station pub which is part of the original Acton Central station building is surprisingly cosy despite its high ceilinged main bar – no doubt a ticket hall in its former life.

Speaking to local business owners, the sentiment that comes across is that the area does feel like a village and that there is a warm feeling here.

Laura Forsyth of the Village Trading Store says, “The choice of shops here is great and we get compliments that you can find anything here. Times are tough though for independents as we don’t have the backing of chains so we need people to use us. We offer a service that you can’t get from the big stores or buying online.”

“Here you can walk out of your front door and get everything you need. We offer a service that you can’t get from the big stores or buying online.”

Laura Forsyth, manager The Village Trading Store

“Still new stores are opening up,” says Rachel, “and a street craft market organised at Christmas, with locals selling homemade goods does get plenty of people from around here involved.” An Acton BID, that will mirror the Ealing BID, is in the planning and a council plan to slow vehicles by installing a traffic calming scheme is in the process of being built.

From the days of the original Mr Wait, Rowe and Taylor to the coffee percolating, hirsute baristas of today, the businesses along Churchfield Road have worn their independent stripes loud and proud. Long may they continue to do so.

“This is a special place – village feeling and a great community.

It’s like being back in Italy.”

Raffaele Losito, Manager, Churchfield Food Store

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www.bartonwillmore.co.uk/London

PLANNING AND DESIGNING IN EALING Together with our partners we have: » Helped deliver 14 mixed-use schemes » Designed more than 2,000 housing units » Created 3,500 sqm of employment space

NATIONAL INFLUENCE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

Interview

Cooking with Brilliance

What are your earliest memories? have a pic of myself when I was seven in the restaurant. When I was in my mum’s tum I knew that I was coming to a family that loved food.

I

What makes the Brilliant stand out?

Number one we are family run in Southall and we have been here for 45 years. The chefs may change, but the recipes, consistency and quality never will. A notable achievement is winning the British Curry Awards four years running – but we weren’t allowed to enter again because the judges said someone else needed a chance to win!

Who has influenced you?

My dad. Watching him, he’s very hands-on, he puts us to shame, because he has so much energy, drive and enthusiasm. Before people come to the restaurant, they will call ahead because they want to see my dad. My passion has grown and I love being here (at the Brilliant). I wish I could be here more.

Tell us about your career?

I front my own cookery show, ‘Dip and Kitchen’ on Sky. It’s 10 episodes and the second series screened last year. The show reveals what I’m cooking at the restaurant, it’s a bit of lifestyle and cookery.

I’m shown on my motorbike going out and about Southall buying ingredients. I’ve also dished up for royalty on the BBC’s ‘Royal Recipes’. I’m now working on a second cookery book following on from my first, ‘Dip and Brilliant’. We’ve also got a second restaurant opening in Chelsea – which is a two-year limited restaurant – a longer pop-up!”

The jewel in Southall’s gastronomic crown is Gulu Anand’s family-run Brilliant restaurant.

Opened in 1975, it has featured on Gordon Ramsay’s show and counts Prince Charles among its diners.

Dipna Anand, Gulu’s daughter, cut her teeth here and is a co-owner and celebrity chef. Her aromatic chicken curry is reason enough to visit Southall.

What’s it like being a female chef?

In our culture chefs are expected to be guys, but that misconception is changing. Being a female I get a lot of attention – I’ve signed a deal with Tottenham Hotspur football club which will be the first time that Indian food has been brought to football.

What’s next for you and the Brilliant?

I’m working with Compass, which trains chefs and puts on pop-up events. The next one is working at Credit Suisse – it’s a big event. At the Brilliant we’ve just opened our new banqueting suite for up to 180 guests – it’s a new place that serves great Indian food. That’s what the Brilliant is all about!

Brilliant Restaurant Western Road, Southall www.brilliantrestaurant.com

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As a leading provider of refurbished and new build living solutions, we have the capability and experience to deliver innovative building projects on-time and on-budget.

Building strong communities and making a difference to people’s lives is central to our work ethic. Yet our commitment to local communities goes beyond the physical work we undertake.

Our aim is to create a lasting legacy, supporting the sustainable growth of local people and businesses via our unique delivery approach whilst building the homes the country needs. www.unitedliving.co.uk @unitedlivinggrp

Ripe with potential. Ready for your ideas.

OPPORTUNITIES

Ealing is a pro-active, pro-development and pro-investment council. To date the rate of progress we have achieved with our partners has been virtually without comparison in London. Here are just some of the borough’s current opportunities – which could give you the chance to be part of Ealing’s success story.

15

Old Acton Library This is a Victorian built former council run library and dates from the late nineteenth century. It is currently a vacant site and is situated on a premier location on Acton High Street adjacent to the council leisure centre and opposite the Oaks Shopping centre site, which is currently being redeveloped. It has a size of 535sq m.

It has the potential to be a cinema or other commercial uses. Conversion and possible extension are subject to the necessary planning consents.

Transport links are excellent to the Uxbridge Road, A40, District and Piccadilly Underground lines.

Direct mainline trains are east to Paddington, west to Heathrow.

From summer 2018 Crossrail trains will connect Acton mainline station to the Elizabeth line.

Acton High Street, W3 6NE

EXCELLENT POTENTIAL AS A CINEMA OR OTHER COMMERCIAL USES. CROSSRAIL JOURNEY TIMES TO HEATHROW 17 MINUTES, BOND STREET 9 MINUTES, CANARY WHARF 23 MINUTES.

12

Morrisons Site A key opportunity site, which is the ‘entrance’ into Acton High Street from Ealing Common on the Uxbridge Road. This 1.3ha site offers great potential as a mixeduse development site for retail and residential use. There is also the possibility of including the adjacent post office in the site and improving access to the town square.

Acton is currently undergoing a major regeneration of the Oaks Shopping Centre and the old town hall building and will benefit hugely from the new Acton Crossrail services due next year with journey times of 9 minutes to Oxford Street and 17 minutes to Heathrow.

1 High St, Acton, W3 9LA

GREAT POTENTIAL AS A MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT SITE FOR RETAIL AND RESIDENTIAL

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20

Sandringham Mews Sandringham Mews occupies part of a wedge of land in the heart of Ealing Broadway, Ealing’s premier retail and leisure district.

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 is 0.63ha in area.

It has the potential to be a mixeduse development with retail units at ground floor and residential, student accommodation or commercial above.

Transport links are excellent with a major rail route to Paddington and Heathrow/district and central lines and bus interchange at Ealing Broadway – which is currently being enlarged as a key Crossrail interchange by 2019.

23-45 High Street, Ealing W5

POTENTIAL TO BE A MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT WITH RETAIL ON GROUND FLOOR AND RESIDENTIAL, STUDENT ACCOMMODATION OR COMMERCIAL ABOVE.

10

Iceland Store Site This site occupies a key location on the route from Southall station to the Broadway shopping area.

Within the 1.23ha area are two food supermarkets, car parking and nine properties with outside space accommodating converted premises. This is an excellent opportunity to create bold new buildings to define the public realm at street level, with the potential for residential on the upper floors. Any development will benefit from the historic Kings Hall façade/frontage, which is a local landmark.

Southall is currently undergoing massive investment and with the new Crossrail link to Heathrow and central London is set to be one of the capital’s new hotspots.

63-95 South Road Southall, UB1 1SQ

AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE BOLD NEW BUILDINGS TO DEFINE THE PUBLIC REALM AT STREET LEVEL.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR OPPORTUNITIES VISIT WWW.EALINGINLONDON.COM/OPPORTUNITIES AND CONTACT US TODAY. 64

Introducing Thames Valley Housing’s brand for shared ownership

So Resi proud to sponsor Ealing In London

soresi.co.uk

Climbing Ealing’s Social Enterprise Ladder Andy Mahony discovers how Ealing is reaping the benefits of social enterprise

E

aling is home to many forward-thinking companies that are giving something back to the communities that they work in. These firms are also reaping non-financial measures of success – measures that are also benefiting communities and local entrepreneurs across Ealing.

The Midas touch Goldfinger, in the words of the 007 theme, is the man with the Midas touch, and it is where the Goldfinger Factory takes its name.

The organisation provides skills and training, and assists people in gaining or returning to employment. It also offers Goldfinger’s upcycling project

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designers and craftspeople a platform to develop and sell bespoke furniture and interiors, all made from upcycled materials – and so turning ‘waste into gold’.

The Goldfinger team have been busy at work in Ealing with Catalyst Gateway, an organisation formed by Catalyst Housing to help further its own twenty-year history of community development work.

Oliver Waddington-Ball, Goldfinger Factory’s CEO, explains what they’ve been up to in Ealing.

“We’ve been working with local young people to redesign and upcycle furniture from the disused chapel on the St Bernard’s development in Southall. The furniture will be used in the community space that Catalyst is creating in the chapel.

Some will also go into Catalyst’s office on the Havelock estate which they are regenerating, also in Southall.

“The teams at Ealing Council and Catalyst Gateway have a really good relationship with the young people and they told us what they wanted to get out of the project and what kind of support they might find helpful, so we could tailor our teaching to interest them and give them the skills they’re after.”

Lucy Taylor, Ealing’s Director of Regeneration and Planning, believes social enterprise initiatives are a tremendous benefit to the borough.

“When social enterprise works well, Ealing works well,” says Taylor.

“Social enterprise in Ealing comes in all shapes and sizes; the amount of events, projects and community groups operating in the borough is testament do that. These range from small gardening projects to full scale events like our award winning Ealing Half Marathon. The Ealing Half is actually the ‘shop front’ for a community interest company that ploughs all its race profits into yearround health and wellbeing activities, including work in schools to tackle childhood obesity.”

“We actively encourage our developers and contractors to adopt our social values policy.”

Lucy Taylor, Ealing Council “Ealing Council also has its own core set of social values that it adheres to when it comes to regeneration.

These include prioritising local labour in construction programmes and having apprenticeship schemes. “We actively encourage our developers and contractors to adopt our social values policy,” adds Lucy.

Dragon’s Den A2Dominion, which owns and manages nearly 3,500 homes in Ealing, has developed its enterprise programme to support the borough’s budding social entrepreneurs.

Dubbed the Dragon’s Den, and now in its fifth year, this hugely successful

initiative has rewarded the talent and innovation of 39 local social entrepreneurs, with grants totalling £75,000.

Each year A2Dominion campaigns for a bright business ideas and is bombarded with plenty of creative suggestions from local entrepreneurs.

About 20 people take part in the annual business development programme. The final five most sustainable business ideas make it through to the dragon’s den. The den is an opportunity for them to demonstrate the depth of their business plan and to pitch for funds, business support and mentoring.

One of the 2017 finalists was Victoria Lynch. She plans to use her £4,000 of funding to launch John Palmer Sports, an exciting new sports club with a focus on gymnastics for young children in Ealing. This is part of her worthy plans to tackle childhood obesity.

Lynch says of the programme, “This has been a life-changing opportunity; A2Dominion has been able to transform my business idea into a reality.

“I want to operate a business that has real social conscience and meets the needs of society.”

Southall Waterside ‘Have a go’ day

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We’re Building Lives Less Ordinary At Willmott Dixon Construction we believe it is our responsibility to take the ordinary and make it extraordinary.

That’s why every project we take on has to deliver a positive and memorable impact.

Our relationship with Ealing started over 10 years ago and we have been providing quality spaces to learn, live and spend leisure time. During this time we have supported the community with our engagement programmes, specifically designed to support local issues and always to ensure a positive legacy.

We actively work with local small and medium sized businesses, we do this by engaging early with our supply chain and place our works orders locally and use local labour. At the University of West London (pictured right) in Ealing 50% of our workforce lived within 10 miles of the site.

Students came away from the day feeling empowered” Careers Advisor, Greenford High School

We have enhanced community facilities like the Northfields Community Centre (pictured above), we have delivered training courses to support skills and boost employment opportunities. At a careers event held at Greenford School we were so impressed by one of the young people they were entered into our management training programme; Hazem is now one of our project managers.

£2.1m

£2.1 million community investment last year.

Willmott Dixon

4,586

Made a difference to the life chances of 4,586 young people last year.

@WillmottDixon

55,000

55,000 hours of staff time invested in the community.

www.willmottdixon.co.uk

A Catalyst Community day event

Come and have a go The benefits of working closely with local communities are understood by many developers, especially when a company will be in the neighbourhood for the long term. For Berkeley Group, transforming Southall’s former gas works site, this means being a local presence for at least 25 years. As Jags Sanghera, Community Liaison Officer at Berkeley Group, explains, such initiatives with the local community make sound business sense too.

“We are here for the long-term and feel it’s only right that we do more than just lay down the bricks and mortar,” says Sanghera.

“Fortunately a project of this size and duration provides tremendous scope for creating local training and job opportunities.

“We’re capitalising on this by holding ‘have a go’ days at local secondary schools and colleges. These are a chance for students to get a feel for various construction trades including brickwork, pipework and drainage, as well as an opportunity to sit mock Construction Skills Certification Scheme tests.

“We’re highlighting career paths that students may not have previously considered, and encouraging local young people into the industry. At a

time when a shortage of construction workers is holding back the building of much needed homes, creating local jobs and training is a win-win approach for everybody concerned.”

Streets ahead Street Elite is a ‘training for work’ initiative that uses sport, mentoring and youth engagement to inspire and motivate young people who are currently not in education, employment or training.

“The opportunities through Street Elite are real.”

Anton Gabriel, Street Elite graduate The scheme has been at work in Ealing for around three years and is jointly funded by the council, Berkeley Group and the Change Foundation, which runs the Street Elite programme.

The nine-month programme is based around building trust, teamwork and confidence, as well as providing the chance to gain accredited qualifications.

Si Ledwith, Head of programmes at the Change Foundation and Street Elite, said: “There is a whole host of reasons

why the education system hasn’t worked for the young people we take on through Street Elite. Working in a team provides life lessons and helps young people create a better perception of themselves.

And, if they earn it, they can get a job.

This is a real opportunity.”

Those who have ‘graduated’ through the scheme agree it is a genuine opportunity. “It’s been a journey with a big learning curve,” says Street Elite graduate Anton Gabriel. “I’ve picked up skills, including decision-making and gaining confidence to communicate with people I may not have mixed with before…I’d say to anyone that the opportunities through Street Elite are real – it is an actual opportunity through sport… here I am now with a new career.”

Lucy Taylor gives us a final thought on Ealing’s social enterprise credentials: “It’s clear that regeneration projects in Ealing go far beyond bricks and mortar”.

“Social enterprise is ensuring local people are placed at the heart of the process. It’s also helping young people build the strength, confidence and resilience to shape their own futures through training and work.

“With its rich cultural heritage Ealing can justifiably call itself the capital of west London. I think we can now add another name to Ealing’s nomenclature – the home of social enterprise.”

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Proud SPonSorS of

EALING IN LONDON Imperial College London is investing for its future in Ealing, creating homes and jobs for the College community and Borough residents.

Woodward Buildings North Acton

Wales Farm Road North Acton

A development of 690 student rooms, along with five new retail units, community meeting space and gym; opened in 2016.

Planning permission granted in December 2017 for a mixed-use development of 735 student rooms, 85 build-to-rent apartments and 50,000 sqft NIA of office space. / Construction starts 2018 / Homes to rent from 2020

www.imperial.ac.uk

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S P O N S O R S

EALING IN LONDON ARE PROUD TO HAVE BEEN SPONSORED AT THIS YEAR’S MIPIM

BY THE FOLLOWING: -

We would like to thank all our partners for their continued support in 2018. This has enabled Ealing In London to continue to promote Ealing as The London Borough to invest in.

Ealing In London works closely with all our sponsors and advertisers throughout the year. The benefits of sponsorship include invitations to Ealing In London debates, and events, national trade fairs and business networking events.

If you are interested in becoming a 2019 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 contact us via our contact page at www.ealinginlondon.com For more information about our sponsors, please visit our dedicated sponsors’ page at www.ealinginlondon.com

EALING IN LONDON – LOOKING FORWARD TO MIPIM 2019.

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EALING

ealing broadway

- LONDON’S BEST CONNECTED CROSSRAIL BOROUGH FULL SERVICE - ARRIVING 2019 Crossrail - 12 minutes to Bond Street and Heathrow £5Billion+ of Investment Underway 162,000+ Local Jobs 17,000+ Students 90% of Schools Ofsted Outstanding or Good Ealing – The Capital of West London Keep up to date with all the latest regeneration and development news from the capital of west London at www.ealinginlondon.com @ealinginlondon1

ealinginlondon

www.ealinginlondon.com