Tree Walk Organised By Save Walpole Park Campaigners
Aims to highlight concerns over theatre plan and new planning rules
Save Walpole Park protestors ahead of the council meeting this Tuesday
October 14, 2026
Supporters of the Save Walpole Park campaign will gather this weekend for a guided tree walk led by local naturalist John Wells, offering residents a chance to explore the park’s veteran trees, historic avenues and the wildlife they support — including the much-loved Little Owls that nest in the canopy. The free event takes place on Saturday 24 October at 2pm, with participants meeting at the bandstand near Pitzhanger Pantry.
Campaigners continue to oppose Ealing Council’s proposal to host a large Troubadour Theatre structure in the centre of the park — a plan they argue would fundamentally alter one of the borough’s most important green spaces.
The Troubadour Theatre proposal, first revealed earlier this year, would see a 1,200-seat temporary theatre erected in Walpole Park for three and a half years, hosting eight shows a week and attracting thousands of visitors. Campaigners say the scale of the structure, the associated footfall and the displacement of everyday park use would cause lasting harm to wildlife, heritage views and the tranquillity of the Grade II listed landscape.
In recent months, opposition has grown rapidly. Local residents have formed the Walpole Park Preservation Society, petitions have gathered thousands of signatures, and environmental groups — including the Ealing Parks Foundation — have raised detailed concerns about biodiversity, congestion, noise and the loss of open space. The theatre plan is currently expected to move through the planning process later this year.
Adding to the tension is a significant change in how planning decisions will be handled in Ealing from 31 October, following amendments to the Town & Country Planning Act 2026. Under the new system, the decision on whether a planning application is heard by a full Planning Committee or determined by a single planning officer will rest with the Chair of the Planning Committee and a nominated senior officer — in Ealing’s case, the Assistant Director of Planning, Design and Sustainability.
Campaigners say the change introduces uncertainty. A scheme of the Troubadour Theatre’s magnitude, they argue, should unquestionably be considered by a full committee, allowing elected councillors to scrutinise the proposal in public. However, under the new rules, there is no automatic guarantee that this will happen.
Some residents fear that a single-officer decision could limit transparency and reduce opportunities for community input. Others note that committee hearings allow for public speaking, detailed questioning and a broader democratic process. Supporters of the new system say it may streamline decision-making and reduce delays, but campaigners remain cautious.
Against this backdrop, next weekend’s tree walk is being framed as a chance to reconnect with the park. As the Save Walpole Park leaflet puts it, the walk invites residents to “discover the veteran trees & historic planted avenues that shelter wildlife… provide a cooling canopy that helps the park withstand a changing climate and anchor the soil with their impressive root systems.”
Save Walpole Parks says it is preparing detailed responses to the forthcoming consultation and planning processes. It has also begun crowdfunding in anticipation of a potential legal challenge. Donations can be made at goodhub.com/go/save-walpole.
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