Anger Over Care Home Plan for St Dunstan's Avenue Park
Opponents say plot is public open space and cannot be built on
The green space on St Dunstan's Avenue that would be built on. Picture: Google Streetview
A plan has been submitted to Ealing Council to build a care home on an open space on St Dunstan’s Avenue.
Urbana Town Planning Limited has submitted an outline application for the erection of a 52-bedroom care home for the elderly, dementia and nursing patients on the southern most of the two triangular pieces of land on the road.
In return for permission it is offering to gift the other piece of land further up the road to the council.
Opponents of the scheme say that the application is based on a false premise and that the sites are designated as public open space and cannot be built on.
They originally belong to Goldsmiths’ Company but were sold to an offshore company called Golden Property Holdings Ltd which registered its title to both pieces of land in March last year. It is argued that this ownership is subject to overriding public rights of use of the land.
Local residents use the plots for recreational purposes and the council has been caring for the two greens as public open spaces with the Parks Department cutting the grass and tending to the trees. Public money has also been used to enhance the parks.
Gerald T Moran says, “Byelaw 7 of October 2000 prohibits erection of any building etc without consent of the Council. The Council would be in breach of trust if it purported to sanction the proposed development changing the use and nature of either of these public open spaces.
“The local plan (in its various parts and read with other documents such as on green space strategy) designates the triangles as public open spaces. These triangles operate as local parks giving valued benefits such as opportunities for recreation and so on as well as visually and environmentally.”
The applicant argues that although the land is designated as Public Open Space, they are privately owned and no formal agreement for the public to access them exists. It is proposing to gift ownership of what is described as Friars Gardens Community Green to the council along with a financial contribution of £100,000 for upgrading the park.
Friars Green Community Garden. Picture: Google Streetview
It is also contended that there is a community benefit from the building of a care home which would cater to the elderly, dementia and nursing patients and be run by the Care Concern Group. The applicant says that the home could be up and running within two years of consent being given.
For more details of the proposal and to make a comment click here.
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February 24, 2022
