From Detached Ealing House to Nine Flats?

Have your say on developers proposals for St Stephens Road

(18 St Stephens Road)

A large five bedroom detached family home on a corner plot in Ealing could be demolished and replaced by nine flats. The house at 18 St Stephen's Road in Pitshanger sits between two conservation zones and is close to Notting Hill and Ealing School.

The developers, Maybria Group, have put in a planning application to Ealing Council for the 'Construction of a three storey residential building comprising of nine residential dwellings (Following demolition of existing dwellinghouse) with associated amenity space, car parking space, refuse and cycle storage'.

The Maybria Group describes itself on its web site as a 'prime London luxury Property Agency based in the heart of Mayfair'. It says that 70% of their buyers come from overseas.

The proposed development, named Wimbourne Gardens, has been met with disapproval locally and the council's planning site has already received more than 50 comments.

Residents have objected to the proposals as 'completely out of character' with the many period houses in the area and have expressed concern that granting approval could set a dangerous precedent encouraging developers to target other such houses in Ealing.

Victor Mishiku, who campaigns on planning issues locally, has written to the Council saying that the application should be ruled as defective as the Maybria Group is not the sole owner of the land. The Land Registry gives the owner of the site as Pyramid Property Ltd as at 15 March 2017. This company was formed in 2016 and is run by the Al Gahtani family of Saudi Arabia. The ultimate holding company is Anglo Gulf Holdings Limited.

Mr Mishiku argues that without a valid ownership certificate the Council cannot proceed with considering the application. He also says that the notice published to advertise the application was invalid as it describes the building as a four storey property and it should have been made clear that there was a basement level.

(artist's impression of new flats)

You can make comments on the application on the Ealing Council site here until 23 May.

17 May 2018