Opponents say they will fight on to protect the nature reserve
Gunnersbury Triangle Nature reserve planned development
Ealing Council has given the go-ahead for nine flats and a visitor centre to be built at the Gunnersbury Triangle nature reserve. Councillors voted 10-3, in favour of the controversial application, at last night's Planning Committee meeting (January 16th) with all Labour councillors voting to pass the proposal.
Southfield Councillor Andrew Steed, who spoke at the Planning Committee, said: "Liberal Democrats raised valid concerns about the Gunnersbury Triangle Planning Application. This will be the third planning proposal to encroach upon the nature reserve. We know the earlier developments have had an adverse effect and we have concerns about this Hounslow Council project. We welcome the visitors’ centre but did it have to be paid for by a five storey block of luxury flats?”
The Green Party, and some local resident's groups oppose the plan and say the Bollo Lane nature reserve should be protected from residential development. Lib Dem councillor for Southfield, Gary Malcolm, is seeking to have Gunnersbury Triangle nature reserve declared an Asset of Community Value. Councillor Malcolm believes having a residential development will have an adverse impact on the environment.
One local opponent told chiswickw4.com that the reserve was a unique Metropolitan Open Land site and said they would fight to have the decision overturned. Land designated as MOL is intended to be protected as an area of landscape, recreation, nature conservation or scientific interest.Any alterations to the boundary of MOL have to be made by boroughs through the DPD ("Development Plan Document") process, in consultation with the Mayor and adjoining authorities.
Hounslow Council owns the land and proposes to develop it through its Lampton 360 company. The Gunnersbury Triangle is situated in Bollo Lane, which comes under the borough of Ealing for planning purposes.
The London Wildlife Trust backs the plan, on the grounds that it would not be able to fund a visitor centre itself, but others including the Acton Green Resident's Association (AGRA) and the local branch of the Green Party, oppose having residential development so close to the reserve. You can read the full list of comments on Ealing Council's Planning pages, for and against the proposed development.
The Green Party opposed previous developments around the site in which several large blocks of flats were built on the periphery of the nature reserve. They say that since the building of these flats on Bollo Lane the decrease in wildlife including bats, birdlife and insects has been noticeable to regular visitors.
The London Wildlife Trust's (LWT) view is that the impact of building the flats next to the site will be negligible.
Jan Hewlett, chair of the Nature Reserve’s Steering Group said: ‘We’ve wanted a proper visitor centre for many years. The current proposal provides a visitor centre across the whole of its ground floor, so there would be room for school groups and community activities, as well as practical things like decent loos and tool store. The residential element is an enabling development which makes all this possible. It should help the local community to gain greater enjoyment from our lovely nature reserve."
The London Wildlife Trust says, "The new building will at its highest point be five storeys high, and located so that only a marginal part of the reserve will receive any additional shading in early summer mornings. We are confident that any impact on the wildlife or natural assets of the nature reserve will be negligible, and have advised on ensuring that the new development is as wildlife-friendly as possible. Green roofs and living walls are planned to be installed on the building."
Located just across the road from Chiswick Park Underground Station on Bollo Lane, Gunnersbury Triangle opened to the public in 1985, having been saved from development by local campaigners, supported by LWT and the former Greater London Council. It is now a statutory Local Nature Reserve. Owned by London Borough of Hounslow and managed by LWT, the reserve is cared for by a small onsite Trust staff team and a dedicated group of volunteers.
The planning application can be read here . Work is due to start in the first half of 2019.
January 17, 2019
