Controversial Lammas Park Plan Withdrawn
Developer ditches East Lodge scheme after 3,000 objections
A view of the now abandoned proposal as seen from Church Lane. Picture: Red + White
September 16, 2025
A controversial planning application to build a six-storey block of flats within Lammas Park has been officially withdrawn following widespread public opposition. The proposal, submitted under reference 250344FUL by East Lodge Lammas Ltd, was formally withdrawn on Friday (12 September), after receiving more than 3,000 objections from residents, community groups, and heritage advocates.
The scheme had proposed demolishing the historic East Lodge, a two-storey building dating back to 1893, to construct six new flats—comprising one four-bedroom, three three-bedroom, and two two-bedroom units—on Metropolitan Open Land adjacent to Church Lane. The applicant argued that the site, classed as ‘grey belt’ due to existing development, could support new housing in response to borough-wide demand.
However, the application quickly became one of the most contested in recent memory. Opponents raised concerns about the impact on the park’s character, the loss of a heritage asset, and the precedent of building on protected open space. Many also questioned the applicant’s claim that East Lodge had been uninhabitable for two decades, noting that a family previously housed there by the Guinness Trust had only been relocated in recent years.
The proposed development was not covered by statutory heritage protections, but a concurrent consultation to expand the Ealing Green Conservation Area would have incorporated East Lodge into its boundary. The timing of the application, coinciding with a controversial drainage project in Lammas Park, further fuelled public scepticism.
Designs by Red + White had aimed to integrate the new building with its surroundings through sympathetic materials and sustainable features such as green roofs and enhanced landscaping. Nonetheless, the volume and tone of objections—many citing environmental harm, loss of light, and disregard for local heritage— may ultimately have led to the withdrawal of the scheme.
The East Lodge at Lammas Park
Campaigners and local residents have welcomed the decision, describing it as a victory for community engagement and the protection of public green space. With the application now withdrawn, attention is likely to turn to the future of East Lodge itself, and whether it might be restored or repurposed in line with conservation goals.
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