Green Man Lane Estate's Final Stage Approved
Massive redevelopment moves closer to completion
CGI of what the Green Man Lane estate might look like. Picture: Conran and Partners
January 19, 2023
A massive revamp of the Green Man Lane Estate is closer to completion after councillors approved the construction of the final hundred flats and brand-new community spaces. The new Ealing tower blocks will replace 1970s social housing and a church, both of which will be knocked down.
In 2010, Ealing Council committed to a major redevelopment of the estate to providing more than 700 flats after demolishing the 464 homes on the site. The council also pledged to expand St John’s Primary School which was completed in 2017.
Now, the full revamp is on course to get finished as councillors debated plans for the final 396 homes, plus community spaces, on Wednesday (18 January). The Green Man Lane Community Centre and Jubilee Children’s Centre are both being housed in temporary buildings, but are set for permanent spaces below the flats under the new plans.
In total, there will be 183 affordable homes created in the final phase. The flats will be a mix of one, two and three bedroomed homes. Across the development, there will be play areas for children and green spaces for residents.
Councillor Yoel Gordon welcomed the final application. He said, “I’ve been the ward councillor since 2010, so I’ve seen the estate completely redeveloped. We have had several phases which have hugely enhanced West Ealing, and more importantly, have enhanced the lives of the residents.
“I would very much welcome it, and what it is going to replace in Tintern Court which is as poor social housing as you can get anywhere, it is a magnet for virtually all the antisocial behaviour in the ward. It is appalling living conditions and appalling levels of maintenance so we heartily welcome the demolition and I think anything will be better.”
Green Man Lane Current Site. Picture: Conran and Partners
As well as Tintern Court, Dean Hall – a Christian church space - is set to be demolished to make way for the new blocks and community centre. In the new development, new space for Dean Hall will be found to continue providing for the communities who use it.
One resident expressed concerns that the church continues to meet for Sunday morning services at Dean Hall, which is also made available to the International Presbyterian Church. Despite the use, a council officer concluded that the site is “relatively underutilised” and the application does make provision for the reprovision of this building within the development.
Under the original plans, submitted more than a decade ago, the final phase would include buildings between 6 and 9 storeys but the new plans are much higher. Instead, the flats will be in towers ranging from 5 to 16 storeys tall.
CGI of what the Green Man Lane estate might look like. Picture: Conran and Partners
Councillor Praveen Anand expressed concerns about the height of the plans. He said, “I do welcome the much-needed housing this application is proposing, and it is something that I will be voting for. However, I am torn with the fact there are some issues that actually are of concern and hope this can be brought to the attention in future applications.
“This is a very higher building and I know it’s been said that it fits in line however, our local plan is diverting away from the height that we are proposing because there is still ambiguity and much more need for housing in this development.
“I’ve found in a lot of applications that provision for play areas are compromised every time. We do want more play areas for residents and just compromising and putting money into something and building those other play areas is putting on more strains. In future, we should be mindful.”
Councillor Anthony Kelly added, “We remember what was there before, and some of us remember what was there before the Green Man Lane estate and it was pretty bad so it is a great improvement. We’ve talked about the height’s not what we’re used to and there’s a bit of misalignment perhaps with the emerging policy but it’s no grounds to not grant the application.”
Councillors unanimously approved plans for the final phase of the Green Man Lane estate.
Megan Stanley - Local Democracy Reporter
