Leaf will not stop station revamp

6:01pm Thursday 18th October 2007

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THE Mayor of London has said plans for a new shopping centre will not scupper the redevelopment of Ealing Broadway Station.

London Assembly member for Ealing and Hillingdon, Richard Barnes, questioned Ken Livingstone at the Mayor's question time, yesterday.

He asked whether the proposed development of the Arcadia centre site, and the redevelopment of Ealing Broadway Station, would interfere with each other.

Mr Livingstone said: "We will want Arcadia built, so that if it is going to be opened ahead of Crossrail, the box for the station is built-in, so we do not have to close down Ealing while we build the station."

The assurances come in the same week as a new pressure group met for the first time to discuss opposition to the proposals for the Arcadia site.

Save Ealing's Centre (SEC) is made up of 20 community groups from Ealing, who all have objections to the development proposed by Glenkerrin, which includes a 40-storey tower dubbed The Leaf.

Chairman of SEC Nick Woolven, said: "We are concerned about the lack of awareness in the community of the issues at stake.

"The SEC Alliance fundamentally supports the need for the regeneration of Ealing Town Centre.

"We need new buildings and new facilities, but the plans put forward by Glenkerrin are a commercial proposition, which do not address issues such as transport."

Glenkerrin this week claimed to have the support of the business community in Ealing and said the development would bring new businesses to the town centre.

Peter Smith, the former director of the Ealing Centre Partnership, said: "The private sector has identified Ealing as a community with great potential, which is exciting for the future of the town.

"It comes at a time when competition from other urban centres, such as White City and Brent Cross, has never been greater."

To comment on the proposals visit www.ealingtimes.co.uk.