Ealing Lib Dems challenge New Local Plan

Ealing’s Lib Dem Opposition have worked hard to challenge the New Local Plan.

The Liberal Democrat Opposition have challenged the new Local Plan which Ealing Labour have put forward and which is entering the next phase. It is going before independent inspectors who will examine the soundness of the plan and the associated evidence. Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Cllr Jon Ball has challenged the Local Plan by making representations at the hearing sessions in mid-June 2025.

The Lib Dems have already succeeded at previous stages in forcing Ealing Labour to drop most of their plans to build on greenbelt and parks saving several sites across the borough. They have lodged evidence to address:

• Procedural and legal requirements – with the notable absence of infrastructure funding statements, whereas Brent, Hounslow, Harrow, Hillingdon and Southwark Councils publish such statements annually on their websites as required promoting transparency and engagement.
   
• Vision, objectives and spatial strategy- the vision for seven towns seem to be random and not based on any notable characteristics e.g. West Ealing, Northfields and West Twyford could argue they are separate from Ealing Town, North Acton and Bedford Park could also argue the same in relation to Acton.
   
• The populist 20-minute neighbourhoods idea has no clear plan or basis other than soundbites – will this be a return to the highly unpopular Low Traffic Neighbourhoods in the borough?
   
• Affordable Housing – the borough has a high demand for affordable housing which should encourage a meaningful housing target of at least 50% rather than the anaemic lower values set by Ealing Labour. Ealing is amid a huge temporary accommodation crisis as private landlords have exited the market and many building sites are paused. Ealing is one of the highest areas of need across the country. In addition, Ealing Labour have persistently failed to address the speed and quality of repairs for council tenants, adding insult to injury.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Jon Ball, Opposition Spokesperson on Housing, Development, the Local Plan and Licensing as well as Deputy Leader said: "Ealing Labour seem to have no clear and proper plan for managing development be it heritage or affordable housing. They have demonstrated a lack of planning ability by their knee jerk reactions, defining the seven towns in an arbitrary fashion and making statements about 20 minutes neighbourhoods without any substantiation.”

Cllr Jon Ball added: “Ealing is in the middle of a huge housing crisis to which they seem unable to respond in a meaningful way, as they wait for the Labour government to bail them out! In the meantime, residents suffer with a loss of access to jobs, housing, winter fuel payments, an abysmal repairs service and a persistent cost of living crisis. The Mayor of London is introducing new housing targets for Ealing which will invalidate much of this local plan as soon as it passes through its examination stages. This continues to show Ealing Labour’s inability to deliver change and address their shortcomings as the local elections loom.”