Proposal for 'Monstrous' Playground Rejected
Over 400 residents objected to plans for Friars Place Green
Friars Place Green. Picture: Facebook
A popular garden in Acton will not become a “monstrous” playground after a huge number of complaints from locals.
Plans to pave over Friars Place Green and turn it into a playground and bike shed have been scrapped after 416 residents objected to them.
According to documents submitted by developers Catalyst Housing to Ealing Council, the proposed playground and bike shed would have served tower blocks they are building on the neighbouring Friary Park Estate.
The playground and bike shed would be a “temporary” solution, designed to be in place for six years, until a more permanent play area and bike storage facility could be built on the site of the main development.
Proposals for the playground included a climbing frame, various pull up bars and a rope trail and most of the garden’s mature trees would have been preserved.
Nevertheless, the plans for the development of Friars Place Green were withdrawn on 17 March.
It came as many residents voiced their anger at plans to pave over the garden and objected to the potential loss of green, open space.
Commenting on the proposals on Ealing Council’s website, one resident said, “Disgraceful disregard for the residents of the borough. Appalling out of scale over development on common land. No protection from pollution on site. Monstrous in every way.”
Another resident pointed out how popular Friars Place Green was with locals and wrote: “The proposal would result in a loss of green space. The proposal and development would remove a well-established and popular community asset that should not be used to offset a lack of amenity space within the redeveloped Friary Park Estate.”
A third resident said: “Over development in the area calls for more green and open spaces, with tall trees to clean the air. This proposal is unacceptable to convert an existing green and common land into a “private” playground.
“The developer should be using the land acquired to build more open space and playground facilities not expand further.”
Work to regenerate the Friary Park Estate and build several tower blocks containing 990 flats and ranging from three to 24 storeys in height began in March 2021.
Catalyst Housing has been approached for comment.
Lisa Haseldine – Local Democracy Reporter
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March 24, 2022