Stalled Dean Gardens Development Could Be Demolished

53 flats have been abandoned for over two years

The block on Leeland Terrace was showing visible signs of deterioration. Picture: Facebook

October 15, 2025

Ealing Council’s cabinet is set to consider a proposal to demolish the partially built apartments at Dean Gardens in West Ealing, more than two years after construction stalled. The decision, which will be made on 12 November, would authorise the tendering of a demolition contract for the site, located off Leeland Terrace in the Walpole ward.

The development—originally known as Maitland Yard and Dean Gardens—was intended to deliver 53 new flats, including 21 affordable rent units for council tenants, 10 shared ownership properties, and 22 homes for open market sale, alongside a commercial unit and public car park. Construction began in early 2021 but was abruptly halted in June 2023 following the collapse of Henry Construction Projects Ltd, the council’s appointed contractor. Although an attempt was made to protect the building from the elements, the structure’s fittings were showing signs of deterioration due to exposure visible from outside the site.

Henry Construction had been awarded a £40 million contract by Ealing Council in February 2022 to build 145 housing units across six sites under its Broadway Living housing programme. The firm’s sudden insolvency left multiple developments across the borough in limbo, including sites at Shackleton Road, Chesterton Close, Evesham Close, Wood End Library, and Norwood Road.

At a public meeting in October 2024, Cllr Shital Manro, Cabinet Member for Good Growth and New Homes, stated that the council was still seeking a new builder to take over the Dean Gardens site. He added that there were no current plans to demolish and restart, though no timeline was provided for resuming works.

Ealing is not alone in facing fallout from Henry Construction’s collapse. Other councils and housing associations across London and the South East have been left exposed, with unfinished projects, unpaid subcontractors, and disrupted housing targets.

The decision is classified by the council as non-key but carries implications for housing delivery, public spending, and regeneration in West Ealing. The report is expected to be published in full ahead of the Cabinet meeting, with the outcome likely to influence future approaches to stalled developments across the borough including the other projects abandoned after the Henry Construction collapse.

This is the second time this year that Ealing has been forced to demolish a block which was substantially completed but never occupied. Earlier in 2025, housing in Acton was knocked down due to serious fire safety concerns. The building, part of a recent development, had never been tenanted and was found to pose unacceptable risks following post-construction inspections.