Cabinet Opts to Move Forward with Walpole Park Theatre

Sizeable protest and multiple petitions fail to bring plan to a halt

Around 100 people gathered ahead of Wednesday's meeting

September 10, 2026

Ealing Council’s cabinet has given in principle approval to a 1,200 seat theatre in Walpole Park despite multiple petitions and a sizeable demonstration against the plan ahead of the meeting. There was not a single dissenting voice among the borough’s senior councillors to the report which recommended progressing with the project.

Around 100 councillors, residents and members of local conservation groups gathered in front of Perceval House at 4.30pm this Wednesday (9 September) to protest against the proposal to permit Troubadour Theatres Ltd to build a commercial theatre in the Grade II listed former parkland of Pitzhanger Manor. Not only do the plans jeopardise the park's wildlife, opponents say, but the proximity to Ealing's existing venue, The Questors Theatre, provides a potential threat to its future.

Jo and Andrew Arden were at the protest and they said, 'one of the things which attracted us to the area was Ealing's parks', which will now be significantly affected by higher footfall, parking pressures, noise and light late at night. For Fiona Waltje, who has lived in the neighbourhood for seven years, the plans are a threat to an important amenity for mental health, particularly after the controversial relandscaping and drainage works in nearby Lammas Park, which she felt were characterised by a similar lack of communication and sudden changes of plan from the council.

Protestors against the Walpole Park Theatre assembled in front of Perceval House

The proposals were revealed not by any official announcement, but when they appeared as an agenda item for Wednesday’s cabinet meeting. Many gathered outside Perceval House were angered about the lack of advance warning and opacity surrounding how much money the council stands to gain. ‘It sounds as if it’s being rushed through’, said Fiona, who held a sign saying, ‘Save Walpole, No to Troubadour’. 

‘The way they're trying to brush it under the carpet is anti-democratic,’ says Cathy Swift. She is chair of LagerCan, a group of voluntary litter pickers based in Ealing who feel that litter will inevitably be worsened by the planned theatre.

 The proposed dome-like structure is described by the council as temporary, despite the fact it would be in place for 3.5 years, causing outcry from local residents and multiple wildlife and environmental groups, who argue that in terms of bio-diversity, this is at least semi-permanent.

 Jane Fernley, co-chair of Ealing Parks Foundation, was 'quite frankly, horrified at the proposal', particularly since the established forum of green groups was not consulted or informed about the negotiations. 'At a time of climate breakdown, after a heatwave, a mature, quality green space, slap-bang in the middle of Ealing, should not even be contemplated as the location for a semi-permanent structure.

If approved much of the northern part of the park would be taken over by the theatre

'It's large-scale, it's high-tech, it's high-energy use. Heavy vehicles and heavy footfall will harm the trees and animals for very, very short-term gain.' 

Spokespeople for Ealing Wildlife Group, a voluntary group aiming to conserve the local environment, concurred. While 'it is hard to estimate what the effects will be', 'the habitats take years to build back', Emily Gardner argued. 

There was firm consensus that the protest was not against theatres in general. 'Nobody objects to theatres, but not in the middle of a public park', as local resident Jo Arden put it. Adam Keenan, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Ealing Broadway, is against Troubadour Theatre's plans - but is also a member of The Questors Theatre, where he maintains that 'many members are enthusiastic about a professional theatre coming to Ealing, but absolutely not in a public park, and absolutely not right on the doorstep of Ealing's premier theatre, Questor's Theatre'.

Many have pointed to the Council's own list of brownfield sites which might host the venture instead. Abundance London, an urban greening charity, points out that according to Ealing’s own website Walpole Park is 'a key recreational area in the borough' which was, according to the parks’ own plaque, 'opened for the use of the public 1st May 1901’. 

Indeed, Sonja Garsvo, a founding trustee of Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery Trust, believes this project will 'desecrate Ealing's busiest park'. She notes that the business model of Troubadour Theatres is to 'get blockbusters which sell out' by transferring West End hits to its venues across London, so the noise level will be ‘constant, seven days a week’.

During the Cabinet meeting, the decision to award the proposal in principle was confirmed. Cllr Lauren Wall, Cabinet Member for Thriving Communities, promised that the planning process would be ‘rigorous’ and that The Questors Theatre was entering negotiations with Troubadour Theatres. 

Supporting the proposal, Cllr Louise Brett, Deputy Leader of the Council, said she frequently hears from residents that Ealing’s high streets are “dying”. She added, “For me, this is a consultation and it is opening up an interesting consultation about a possible amazing thing that could rejuvenate the centre of Ealing Broadway.”

If the decision is made to proceed following the consultation, work is expected to begin on site in the new year, and the theatre could open by next Easter.

Before any final decision is made, the council will carry out a formal consultation on the proposed lease of part of Walpole Park. Residents and businesses will also be able to comment on the planning application once it reaches the planning stage.

Troubadour Theatres and the council will be holding engagement events in the autumn for residents to find out more about the proposals.

At present the official petition hosted on the Ealing Council’s website has been signed by 1182 people. Under rules brought in last year, 1% of the population of the borough, or 3871 people, are required to sign in order to trigger a debate within the council. 

Written with contributions from Philip James Lynch – Local Democracy Reporter