Call for Independent Review into Lammas Park 'Fiasco'
Opposition Lib Dems say drainage project mismanaged from the start
Cllr Malcolm visiting the Lammas Park site with resident Matthew Mellor
June 5, 2025
The Leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition has written to both the Leader and Chief Executive of Ealing Council demanding an independent review of the Lammas Park Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) scheme.
Cllr Gary Malcolm writes that the scheme has been mismanaged from inception and, despite the resumption of activity at the site, the works continue to drag on.
He says feedback from residents indicates a number of failures with the project including the poor initial design which left the problem of the new ponds being situated by a playground.
He also accuses the council of not properly explaining why the scheme was necessary and neglecting to keep residents up to date with progress with decisions being taken behind closed doors. He describes the consultations that were carried out as inadequate and says that the project has been managed poorly with an error in the original planning permission leading to work being halted. He also raises the issue with water contamination.
Cllr Malcolm says, “Liberal Democrats say this scheme is massively delayed and has had to be redesigned after the Council and Thames Water breached their own planning permission. We need to know why it is so late, how much it has cost the taxpayer and learn lessons to stop this from happening again. We hope the project can now be finished so local people can once again enjoy a really valuable local amenity.”
The council says that the project is progressing with ground levelling, seeding, and planting (weather permitting) to be followed by safety inspections in the next few months. Subject to a satisfactory safety review and the grass becoming properly established, the area is expected to fully reopen late summer with additional seeding and tree planting taking place in the autumn.
A spokesperson for Ealing Council said, “Since 2023 we have listened, very carefully, to local residents, park users, and consulted with key organisations involved with flood prevention. Planning consultation took place from July to September 2023, which was open for public comment and we took on board additional feedback in the new planning application and revised designs accordingly.
“The Lammas Park project will see the completion of essential drainage works connecting the sustainable drainage system to the Thames Water system, significantly reducing flood risk. The water quality issue caused by a misconnection at a private property has been resolved. A long-term water quality monitoring plan will be introduced to ensure the ongoing effectiveness of the system.
“The council apologises for the disruption caused to Lammas Park and thanks residents for their patience during the vital improvement works. People living nearby have received direct communication outlining the project details and information boards have been displayed on site to update park users.”
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