Concerts Planned for Ealing's New Regional Park

Council officer says events would not impact area's biodiversity


Council seeking clarification on impact of events. Picture: Ealing Council

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September 16, 2024

A new regional park stretching across the Ealing borough could host concerts and festivals in the future. Ealing Council hopes the park can rival the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London by utilising a number of different ideas to drive profit.

At a meeting on Wednesday, 11 September, the Assistant Director for Leisure and Culture, Chris Bunting, told the Economic and Sustainability Scrutiny Panel that the council would consider a range of means to make profit. He said, “We’ve talked about glamping, we’ve talked about camping, we’ve talked about everything really the green space would welcome, concerts, community events et cetera.”

Councillor Kim Nagpal asked for clarification on how the plans aim to make profit and whether the plans for concerts may affect the biodiversity of the park. The Assistant Director responded, “When I said concerts, I bit my lip, because they are quite emotive. We have a limited range of sites within the borough that can host concerts or festivals.

“But we are quite interested and as recognised in the cultural manifesto there’s a bit of an inequality in access to cultural activities as well. We would choose not to put that type of commercial activities in sites of high worth ecology and biodiversity.”

He added, “We would take that on board and do it where it is most appropriate.”

The new park hopes to give residents better access to green spaces within ten minutes from their doorstep. It is part of a larger environmental mission of the council to plant 50,000 more trees, and re-wild 800,000sqm of the borough, increase biodiversity, reduce air pollution and reconnect people with nature.

Earlier this year, Ealing Council made the decision to close Perivale golf course, and convert the land into a new park as part of its commitment to build ten new parks across the borough. The newly converted area will be incorporated into wider plans for the new regional park which will be made up of a series of smaller parks.

An Ealing Council spokesperson said, “In the context of the regional park and with culture as one of the three themes we will explore opportunities to grow the cultural offer for our residents, at all times respecting locations that may be sensitive for a range of reasons, from sound, proximity to local homes, transport access and of course biodiversity.

“At this early stage no decisions have been taken on locations within the regional park, which does of course already host a range of events. Further engagement with residents and stakeholders on the regional park concept will commence this autumn.”

Philip James Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter

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