Council Set to Move Forward with Golf Course Land Deal
Officers say no valid grounds for objection emerged during consultation
Picture: West Middlesex Golf Club
September 2, 2026
Ealing Council has published its latest report on the future of West Middlesex Golf Course, confirming that the authority intends to proceed with a complex tri-party legal and property agreement that will see the club surrender its long lease next year, while a debt funder gains an option over part of the site. The update follows July’s heated scrutiny meeting and the campaign to have the 135-year-old course listed as an Asset of Community Value.
The new cabinet paper, due to be discussed on 9 September, sets out how the council plans to settle ongoing litigation with West Middlesex Golf Club and regain control of most of the 130-acre site by autumn 2027. Under the deal, the club will surrender its existing long lease, which dates from 2001, and receive a short-term lease running only until 30 September 2027. A further short lease may be granted until May 2028 if required. The council will then take back the majority of the land.
Greenford Road Ltd, the private lender that rescued the club from administration in 2022, will be granted an option to buy 2.27 acres of the site near the road after September 2027 for a nominal sum, protected by an overage agreement designed to allow the company to recover the money it invested in the club. The council report makes clear that all elements of the deal must be completed simultaneously between the three parties and cannot be separated.
The council says the arrangement is the most cost-effective way to resolve the long-running legal dispute with the club, which has faced financial difficulties for years. Officers note that continuing litigation would be expensive, uncertain and time-consuming. The report also confirms that 26 objections were received during the statutory consultation period, but officers concluded that none provided grounds to delay or alter the proposed course of action.
The update comes as campaigners continue efforts to secure an Asset of Community Value listing for the course, arguing that formal recognition of its community importance would strengthen the case for retaining recreational use on the land. The ACV application does not affect the council’s legal settlement and would not prevent Greenford Road Ltd from pursuing redevelopment proposals on the land it may acquire, though any planning application would still need to go through the usual process.
The council stresses that no decisions have yet been taken about the long-term future of the golf course once the land returns to council control. Options for its future use will be considered after the deal concludes and before September 2027, with a full consultation promised. An Equalities Impact Assessment will also be carried out at that stage.
The July scrutiny meeting saw opposition councillors challenge the cabinet’s earlier decision, raising concerns about consultation, the protection of Metropolitan Open Land and the implications of granting GRL an option over part of the site. The committee ultimately allowed the cabinet decision to stand, but campaigners have continued to mobilise.
A petition calling for the course to be preserved has now passed 5,000 signatures, and the Save West Middlesex Golf Club Community Group is urging residents to support the ACV bid.
Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We've always done that and won't be changing, in fact we'd like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute. If you do support us in this way we'd be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you'd like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site. |