'Ultra-modern' House Plan for Ranelagh Road Meets Opposition

Building would be on garage site near allotments

A visualisation of the planned house submitted with the application

January 3, 2024

There has been strong opposition from local residents and allotments to a plan (234898FUL) to build a three storey house at the rear of a property on Ranelagh Road.

The site, which is designated in the application as being on ‘Land To The West Of Liverpool Road Ealing W5 5RJ’ is near the Ranelagh gate entrance to the Ascott Allotments.

The plans are for the demolition of the garages to replace them with a dwelling house in a modern design with two storeys above ground and a lower ground floor basement level.

At the time of writing 21 objections had been made to the application raising a range of issues.

These included the flat roof and ‘ultra-modern’ finish not fitting with the vernacular building styles in the area including St Mary's church and the recently restored 1879 Vestry Hall as well as a range of housing stock that is listed as being of Community Architectural Interest.

Questions are also raised about the ownership of the land that the entrance staircase, cycle shed and bin storage area will be placed. This is understood to be unadopted land and some objectors say it may be subject to covenants preventing such use.

The status of the land also raises question about vehicular access for the occupant who would have to pass through the car park currently used by the allotment holders. Objectors are also worried that there would also be the need to access the property through Baillies Walk which might encourage the development of more housing which would be entered this way.

Access would be through the car park used by the allotment holders. Picture: Google Streetview

Concerns are raised about increased density in the area although Ealing Council has approved two new houses in back gardens in the vicinity in recent years, on Ascott Avenue and Richmond Road.

One of the objections states, “Ascott Allotment Friends have, and continue to work, extremely hard to encourage and attract wildlife to the area and the hedge adjacent to the development is rich in birds, insects and species protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Schedule 5 species including Slow Worms and various species of Bats. They are protected by law. The build alone would cause noise, dirt and disruption and inevitably lead to loss of wildlife. Lights in the house immediately on Bailey's walk would risk harm to the bat population.

“We have between 200-300 plot holders who require regular access and the Ranelagh gate is one of four access points for the site. There is daily pedestrian traffic and we also have regular woodchip and skip deliveries through this gate. The land directly in front of the proposed development has been used by our plotholders and for site deliveries over many years, and we will need this access to continue.”

Another local objector Colin Pedley said, “Ealing Council is obviously pleased to collect yet more Council Tax but at what cost to neighbours, the community, the environment and the biodiversity of the area.”

If you wish to comment on the proposal you can see the plans on www.ealing.gov.uk using Ref: 234898FUL to search on the planning page. Any comments must be submitted by 11 January.