The public examination of the Central Ealing Neighbourhood Plan will take place on Thursday 16 February in the Town Hall.
The Examiner, Mr John Parmiter, has invited anyone interested to attend the meeting in the Nelson Room and has published his agenda, which can be seen on the Public Hearing page.
The one day session is just one part of the examination, and gives the opportunity for Mr Parmiter to ask questions of the Forum and the various other parties who have raised points in the earlier consultation.
While the meeting is informal, only those who have been asked to attend to answer will be able to take an active part. Nevertheless it will give the chance for people to learn more about the details of the plan and the reasons why changes have been made to the original proposals.
The Examiner’s report will be published in March. He may suggest some further changes, after which the plan is expected to be put to separate referendums of local people and businesses before coming fully into effect.
More details of the plan and the consultation responses can be seen on another page.

The large redevelopment plot in Ealing Broadway town centre known as 9 – 42 The Broadway, previously part of the Arcadia site, is about to be sold again, the Forum has learnt.
 
British Land, who already own the Ealing Broadway Centre opposite, have made an offer in the region of £50m for the 0 63 ha (1.6 acre) site.
Benson Elliot, a private equity company, bought the wider Arcadia site after former developers Glenkerrin went into administration. BE refurbished the block now occupied by McDonald’s, Morrisons and TK Maxx, and sold it in 2012 to a US real estate company.
Last year, they got planning permission from Ealing Council for plans to develop the rest of the site south of the railway line, with a mix-used scheme with 191 homes and shops, including a new space for the Ealing Club, the birthplace of British Rhythm and Blues and the Rolling Stones.
The scheme was however called in by the Secretary of State, who set up a public Inquiry after strong opposition to the plan from Save Ealing’s Centre and Historic England. This is due to be held in May.
British Land will almost certainly want to make changes to the Benson Elliot plans. it is not known what impact this may have on the public Inquiry, but the Inspector has already said that the effect on the proposed scheme of the emerging Central Ealing Neighbourhood Plan, submitted for examination by the Forum in September, will be considered. 

2017 will see the culmination of four years’ work on Central Ealing’s neighbourhood plan. The final proposals have gone forward to scrutiny by an independent examiner, with a public hearing fixed for February.

Two main themes run through the plan. First, we face the challenge of balancing development with the need to preserve the characteristics which make the town special. The aim is to ensure that we can have sustainable growth while conserving the human scale of green spaces and historic buildings which led to Ealing being called ‘Queen of the Suburbs’.​

​With Crossrail due in 1918, the second target is for Ealing to avoid becoming just a dormitory town, but be a regional centre of excellence for culture and education. The social infrastructure needed for an expanding population can also support a growing business economy round the skills employed in these activities.

The examiner’s report will be made in the spring. The plan will be then put to votes in parallel referendums of local residents and businesses. It will need a majority in both to put into effect.

You can help achieve this by letting more people know of the proposals, though signing up to our Newsletter through the Contact page.

Happy New Year!