Friends of Grove Farm Call on Mayor to Save Woodland
Say proposed tower blocks will blight North Greenford nature reserve
A visualisation from Friends of Grove Park of how the new tower blocks will look
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Friends of Grove Farm, a community group set up to support Grove Farm nature reserve in North Greenford, are calling on the Mayor of London to oppose a new development at Sudbury Hill.
The Park View Place development proposes five new tower blocks ranging from six to eleven storeys in addition to four already approved tower blocks. This development is on Metropolitan Open Land and two of the tower blocks in the new Park View Place will extend onto a Site of Importance of Nature Conservation SINC) and will border Grove Farm Local Nature Reserve (LNR).
The view across the green space without the proposed development
The group is opposing this development as it says it will lead to the destruction of woodland on the SINC which includes mature trees such as the Cracked Willow which is estimated to be least 120 years old and provides a majestic backdrop to Grove Farm. A tree survey submitted with the application concluded that out of 221 trees on the total site 166 would have to be chopped down.
The towers in question will border Costons brook which experts have suggested is likely to be harmed by the excavations, as well as pollutants from construction and habitation.
The ancient Cracked Willow which is threatened by the development
Planning permission was granted by Ealing Council despite strong opposition from local residents about the destruction of trees amongst other factors. The planning permission still needs to be approved by the Mayor of London. Friends of Grove Farm believe there are strong legal arguments against the current development. They are supporting a Crowd Justice campaign to hire environmental and planning solicitors to write a letter to the Mayor outlining the case against this development.
The group says, “We believe a well-argued and professionally informed letter at this stage could stop this application being approved.”
B1 (NEW), B5, B6,B7 and B8 are the proposed extra new blocks. Picture: Interland Group
Friends of Grove Farm are proposing an alternative plan which expands the current Local Nature Reserve to protect more of the green space for nature. They have published their proposals online.
You can contact Friends of Grove Farm via e-mail on friendsofgrovefarm@gmail.com, join the group on Facebook, connect on Twitter @grovefarmealing or Instagram @friendsofgrovefarm.
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May 19, 2022
